Catch My Fall
by Secret Lily
Summary: The heartfelt sequel to Lily and James: Their Story of Love. Catch My Fall takes you from Lily and James' newfound adulthood to that tragic Halloween night in Godric's Hollow. Completed
1. Growing Up

Disclaimer: I don't own anything remotely close to Harry Potter. JKR owns it all. This is the only time I am saying this.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews for Lily and James: Their Story of Love. If you're reading this now and have not read the prequel, it sucks to be you. You will be completely lost. So, if you haven't, it's up and has 60 chapters. It has taken me so long to think of a title for this story. I hope this turns out ok, I have been thinking it through. Thanks again for all the review, please post one for this chapter as well. I hope you all like this new story. Here it is.

Catch My Fall

Chapter 1-Growing Up

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The floorboards of the dark house creaked as footsteps traveled upon them. It was nearly impossible to see due to the lack of light and dust shards flying askew. The house had clearly been imposed by outsiders that had broken in.

Lily Evans brushed a piece of hair behind her ears and kept a sharp eye. Katy Jones, one of her best friends, was examining the doorway to which they had just entered. Nothing looked very suspicious yet to Lily, aside from the fact that the occupants had gone missing that very night.

Lily had gone on so many house calls it was hard to distinguish one from the other. She wished James was on her team, yet he had been placed on the other team that was led by Frank Longbottom. Lily had gotten the pleasure of being quipped with Mad Eye Moody; a senile man with grizzled features that included his large, magical eye.

Mad Eye was not on this call though. He had been home sick when this attack had occurred and Lily felt somewhat vulnerable without his close supervision. How was she supposed to do this for a living if she couldn't even make it through training without becoming a jumble of nerves?

She had lots of worries on her mind at the moment, including the safety of her other friend, Halle Black. Halle was pregnant and home alone often. Sirius worked at Gringrotts and Halle enjoyed her maternity leave from becoming a Healer. She was going through training as well but was having her lessons sent in by owl. Lily hoped this stress of passing would not affect the baby.

Aside from that matter, Lily was constantly worried for James' safety as he was wanted by Voldemort and not in her sight. It was a horrible feeling; the possibility of losing him.

"Do you see anything?" Katy asked, shining her wand over to Lily.

"Not a thing," Lily replied. She spoke too soon.

Three Death Eaters had Apparated with a crack before her and had their wands outstretched.

"Stupefy!" Lily shouted, sending red light towards the Death Eater. Katy had disarmed one and was now sending an Impedimenta Curse their way. _One down, two to go_, Lily thought to herself. She hadn't encountered Death Eaters yet and this was far off of her to do list. Yet, this was the profession she had chose. It wasn't as if she had never had any experience with Death Eaters. She did indeed.

A table came whizzing Lily's way and she ducked and sent a spell at the next one flying at her. It burst into tiny wooden shards.

A green burst of light came flying Katy's way and Lily sent a shield charm, protecting her friend. Katy stunned the Death Eater and it fell to the ground.

One stood, but it did not attack. Instead, it lifted the hood of it's cloak, and removed the mask it wore. It was clapping and suddenly a familiar face came into focus. Mad Eye Moody was congratulating her. It had all been a test.

Lily sighed, as did Katy and they sat down on the floor to contain their composure.

"That was really not nice, Moody," Lily growled at him.

"Have to stay on guard, Evans. I must say you handled yourself well," Moody complimented her. "You too, Jones."

"Can we be informed of when we're going to be given a test?" Katy asked, wiping sweat from her forehead. Her blonde hair was coming out of her ponytail and her blue eyes looked relieved that it was over.

"Let's just call this a pop quiz," Moody chuckled.

"Did we pass?" the two of them asked.

"Yes, you did. Now let me collect Potter and Longbottom and we'll be on our way," Moody said.

"Ennervate," he muttered.

The two remaining cloaked figures got up and revealed themselves to Lily and Katy. James and Frank were breathing heavily and smiling.

"You did great, Lily," James said, congratulating her.

"That was you?" Lily asked. Katy was slapping Frank on the arm for fooling her.

"Yes," James said. "The spells we sent wouldn't have really hurt you. They were just imposter spells, made to make the situation seem all the more real. None would have done any harm."

"Oh," she sighed. She was looking forward to going home and relaxing on her bed. She and Katy shared an apartment with each other and it was located near Remus and James' house. Usually, they all ate dinner with each other or went to Halle and Sirius'. Peter usually joined them. It was the only way they could all keep in touch.

"Let's go home," Katy pleaded, putting her arm around Lily's shoulder. Lily kissed James goodbye and promised to see him later.

"I hate you, Moody," Lily joked, as she passed by him on her way out.

"You'll thank me one day," Moody called back, his harsh voice somewhat gentler.

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Halle was six months pregnant and enjoying married life with her husband. Their little house was the right size for both of them and they had decorated a nursery for the baby.

Sirius hadn't wanted to know the gender of the baby, claiming it would spoil the surprise. Halle knew it was a girl. She was going to have a precious baby girl and would have a happier life. The thought of being pregnant was scary and unwelcome at first, while she was still in Hogwarts, but Halle felt a lot more comfortable about it after she had started living outside of school.

She was looking at a book listing baby names when she heard Sirius enter through the door.

He came in, smiling as always. He spotted Halle and walked over and immediately rubbed her belly. He kissed her softly on the lips and let her lean her head on his chest.

"So, what are the plans for tonight?" Sirius asked.

"We're all going over to Lily and Katy's. They're making dinner, I guess. I don't know how they do it. They always look so exhausted after Auror training. Then again, so does James," Halle reflected. "I went to the Healer today. Remus' mum is took care of me today. She gave us more pictures of the baby."

Halle reached inside of the book she had been reading and held out her sonogram.

Sirius looked at it with pride. He had started to grow used to the idea of being a dad. He loved to look at the picture of his baby, it was something so innocent that could not possibly have anything wrong with it.

"Come on," he said, still smiling. "Let's show the others."

He grabbed Halle's hand and they Apparated together over to their friends' home.

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"Oh, look at the little toes," Lily said, looking at the sonogram.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" Katy asked.

Halle and Sirius looked at each other.

"Not really," they answered. They had to start thinking now, before the baby came.

"It's so odd," James said, sitting at the kitchen table. "We're adults now."

"I know," Remus answered. "I keep waking up and thinking I'm supposed to be going to class. It's all so different."

"Growing up is a hard thing to do," Lily said. "Yet, for some people, it's the most natural thing in the world."

She looked over at Halle and Sirius, who were staring at each other with admiration. She knew that the adult world was going to be strangely more dangerous and miraculous than the life she had led before.

A/N: It wasn't very long but please review. I would appreciate it. I have some things planned for this fic.


	2. Proposals

A/N: Thanks for all the encouraging reviews. I am still planning things in my head as to where I want to go with this fic. If you have any ideas or concerns, feel free to state them in your review. I hope you like it. Please post a review after reading.

Catch My Fall

Chapter 2-Proposals

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James had no idea how he would have woken up each day if it had not been for her. Lily seemed to be constantly on his mind and he found himself longing to spend time with her every moment of every day. It was difficult training without her by his side. He wished to know she was safe.

Her enchanting emerald green eyes and shoulder length auburn hair filled his thoughts frequently. It was as though they had been made for one another. Their one year anniversary was approaching and James had the feeling that he should do something big.

He had gone shopping recently and had picked something out that made him quite nervous. Frank had proposed to Alice last year and they were engaged to be married that winter. James knew that Lily was scared about married life while still in school, but how did she feel now?

He had bought the ring and kept it hidden away in his drawers for the past two weeks. This weekend was their anniversary and it was time that they move on to the next step. He just wasn't confidant that she'd accept.

What would happen if she rejected him again? Would they break up as they did previously? He didn't want to risk losing her again. Yet, where were they going if marriage wasn't next?

He wanted to have the same thing Sirius and Halle had. They were blissfully happy being married. Halle was enjoying being pregnant and seemed to glow constantly. He knew Lily would do the same.

He hadn't talked to his friends about it yet; he wasn't sure if he was even considering actually doing it. It would be hard to get them away from the girls.

He knew he had to do it. It was a risk he was willing to take.

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"Are James, Remus, and Peter staying for dinner?" Halle called from the kitchen.

"No, that's quite alright, Halle," James said. "I just needed to talk to the Marauders for a moment."

"What's this all about, Prongs?" Sirius asked, plopping casually down onto the couch.

"I want to ask Lily to marry me," James stated.

"But you don't know if she'll say yes?" Remus guessed.

"Precisely," James answered.

Halle came out of the kitchen, obviously having heard what James had said.

"Oh, James, you should ask her. I know she would say yes," Halle said, smiling.

"We all thought that last time as well," James reminisced.

"Last time she was unsure and you hadn't dated that long. I think she'll say yes this time," Halle reassured him.

"Thanks, Halle. I hope you're right," James said.

"Do you even have to question it?" Halle teased. She sat down beside Sirius and he kissed her hand.

"Thanks, I think I'm going to ask her this weekend," James said, excited and heading out the door.

"Good luck," they all called.

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"Happy anniversary, James," Lily said, kissing him on the lips. He had knocked on her door, a dozen roses in hand.

"Happy anniversary to you too, Lily," he said, handing her the flowers.

"Oh, they smell beautiful," Lily said.

"Let me put them in some water for you," Katy offered. She smiled at Lily and winked at James. She had heard from Remus and Halle of what he was planning on doing.

"Thanks, Katy," Lily said.

"Don't keep her out too late, James," Katy yelled from the other room.

"I won't, Dad!" James yelled back. Lily chuckled.

The two of them stepped out of the door and James took her hand.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked. She was getting ready to Apparate there.

"Godrics Hollow, Potter Manor," James said.

The two of them Apparated and they landed on James' doorstep. Instead of walking inside though, James led her to the backyard. He seemed to have set everything up beforehand. There was a blanket and a picnic basket lying on the grass. Lily grinned.

There was a single candle lit and one red rose was lying on the basket.

"This is beautiful, James," Lily said. She looked up and saw the night sky overhead. The stars were shining beautifully. It was too perfect.

They sat down on the blanket and James opened the picnic basket. He pulled out a cupcake with one candle on it.

"It's not lit," Lily said, looking at the still candle.

"Let me fix that," James said. He raised his wand and as Lily saw the flame flicker onto the candle, she felt a ring slide onto her finger. James was smiling and had gotten down on one knee before her.

"Lily Evans, I love you more than anything else on this planet. I love you more than the breath I take into my lungs. I love every aspect, every characteristic, everything about you. You're my match. It feels like we were made for each other. I love you more than life itself. Would you make me the luckiest man in the world and marry me?" he asked.

She felt tears of joy slide down her face. It was a question that had shocked her but pleased her all the same.

"Yes, James. Nothing would make me happier," she said. She leapt into his arms and they hugged.

"When do you want to get married?" James asked.

"I want all our friends to be there. Soon, I want to get married soon," Lily said.

"As soon as possible?" James questioned.

"As soon as possible," Lily confirmed, wrapping him into a passionate kiss.

A/N: It was short but I have plans for next chapter. Please review.


	3. The Wedding That Topped Them All

Catch My Fall

Chapter 3-The Wedding That Topped Them All

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James and Lily decided to hold the wedding the next month. The reason for the rushed date was the simple reason that Voldemort was in his prime and more and more attacks were occurring daily. They wanted to make sure they could have everyone there before anything too subtle occurred.

Lily was up to her ears in wedding plans, Auror training, and helping Halle along with her pregnancy. Without Katy helping, Lily had no idea how she was supposed to manage.

The night before the wedding was to happen, Lily sat on her bed, holding a pillow like a little girl. Halle was getting ice cream out of the refrigerator and Katy was checking over all wedding plans. Lily had invited her sister but she doubted that Petunia would attend.

"Ice cream for everyone," Halle said merrily. She sat down upon the bed and rested the bowl on her stomach. She was due in about a month or so and was anticipating the arrival. Katy and Lily had already volunteered to baby-sit whenever needed.

"Thanks, Hal," Lily said, smiling at her friend.

"Oh, Lily, tomorrow's your big day," Katy squealed. "Are you excited?"

"Yes," Lily answered. "I'm more anxious. It's an odd feeling giving away the rest of your life to someone. Although, I am quite happy that someone is James."

"I am too," Halle said. "James is an amazing guy. You two deserve each other."

"Do you ever wish you and Sirius had held a big wedding?" Katy questioned her friend.

"Honestly?" Halle contemplated. "No. I am glad we did things the way we did. It was private and romantic. We're both spontaneous people. It was just the most perfect moment of my life."

"I hope my wedding's like that," Lily gushed.

"It will be, sweetie," Katy assured her. "With me as your wedding planner, nothing is going to go wrong."

"I hope not," Lily said. "You guys have been so supportive of me. I don't know what I'd be doing without you two."

"Probably dating Snape," Katy teased.

"Very funny," Lily replied.

The laughter continued and the girls spent time together before Lily made the final and eternal devotion of love to James.

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"Prongs, my boy, I am going to pass the torch onto you," Sirius said, wisely. "If I was not a married man, we would be attending the most outrageous bachelor party in the history of mankind. Be that as it may, the wife gave me a few convincing and persuasive lectures and I am failing to see the reasoning behind them. You're just going to have to settle for a shot of Fire whiskey."

"I think that Halle's decision is for the best," James assured him.

"Really? I thought she had lost her marbles for a moment," Sirius confessed.

Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter were in the Three Broomsticks, celebrating James' last night as a single man.

"What made you ask her, Prongs?" Peter asked.

"I love her," James said. "I decided that why beat around the bush. If I want to get married, I may as well do it now while I still can."

"To Prongs," Remus toasted. The other three raised their glasses and grinned.

"How are you feeling right now, James?" Remus asked him.

"I'm nervous, and excited of course," James answered. "It feels like Christmas Eve and trying to go to sleep. It's nearly impossible not to feel anxious."

"Congratulations," Sirius said. "Lily is a lucky girl. You and her will be happy."

"Thanks, Padfoot," James said. He knew he had made the right choice in best man, Sirius had always been by his side. Remus and Peter were his best friends as well, but Sirius was like his brother. He had been there throughout the years as a friend and sibling. Remus was going to give Lily away and Peter was going to be an usher. Things just seemed right at that moment and James liked the feel of it.

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Lily checked her reflection before turning to her friends. Her red hair was scooped up in a loose up do and her white dress looked gorgeous on her. Her emerald eyes held signs of happiness and fear. What was her life going to be like after this day? Where were they going to live? James had already answered the latter question. He asked her if she minded living in the Potter Manor. She knew it would be a great place to bring a child into the world.

"You look stunning, Lily," Halle said, shedding a tear. She was dressed in a pale blue dress that was made especially for her, seeing as she was maid of honor. Katy was wearing a similar dress, although hers did not hold extra room for a pregnant belly as Halle's did. The two of them looked magnificent.

"Oh my god, this is the day," Katy said, crying as well.

"Oh you two, hold it together. Your makeup will smudge," Lily joked, getting teary eyed as well. The three of them hugged each other and fixed one another's make up.

Remus entered the room, dressed in a tux, and smiled at them. He kissed Katy on the lips, Halle and Lily on the cheek. He whispered in Lily's ear, "You look great. Congratulations," before taking her arm.

Halle and Katy gave her a good luck thumbs up before leaving the small room in the church. Lily grasped more tightly onto Remus' arm.

"It's ok," he assured her. "Everything will be alright. James is out there and he loves you."

She smiled at him.

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

"Yes," she whispered. She heard the music play and she stepped through the doors. The only thing she could recall from that day at that precise moment was James. She saw him, looking handsome in his tux, watching for her with a smile. She couldn't tell you who the priest was, who was in the audience, and what the church looked like. All she could remember was the admirable look on James' face.

She knew he was who she wanted to spend her life with.

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"That was the most amazing wedding I have ever been to," Katy said, hugging Lily.

Lily smiled. So many people were approaching her, she barely had time to see James. He was there beside her, greeting people as well.

"James, Lily, congratulations. I must say, I did see this coming," Professor Dumbledore said, a hint of amusement in his eye.

"You did, did you?" Lily asked.

"I have a knack for these kind of things," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Ms. Evans, or should I say, Ms. Potter," Professor McGonagall said, shaking Lily's hand.

"Call me Lily for once, Professor," Lily insisted.

"I'll be sure to do that in the future, Lily," the teacher said, walking off smiling.

Lily turned to James. He was grinning.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you," he answered.

The two of them kissed, ignoring any other people who wished to greet them. It was their night.

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"Tonight is so perfect. I am so glad Lily got what she wanted," Halle said, rubbing her belly.

"It's so strange to see your best mate grow up and get married. To the girl who hated him, to say the least," Sirius mused.

"I can't say our story's much different," Halle said, kissing his lips delicately.

Sirius rubbed Halle's belly affectionately.

"Have you thought of any names?" he asked her.

"One," Halle answered.

"And that would be?" Sirius questioned.

"I don't know if you'll like it," Halle stubbornly replied.

"Try me," Sirius tempted.

"Cherish," Halle whispered.

Sirius looked at his wife, smiling.

"I love it," he assured her. "If we have a girl, we'll name her Cherish."

"Have you thought of any boys names?" Halle asked.

Before Sirius could answer, the door to the wedding reception burst open and a cold wind stumbled through. Sirius felt uneasy about this and he caught James' eye. James looked around and saw that Dumbledore had raised his hand for the music to stop. Frank and Alice Longbottom slowly stopped dancing and looked to the door.

A black crow flew in, ramming into Dumbledore. The old man was lifted into the air and crashed through a window. Yet, he had raised his wand and sent a white shield around Lily and James.

Good thing he had as a jet of green light came bursting towards them from the end of a wand tip belonging to Lord Voldemort. He stepped in, laughing coldly at the looks of fear upon everyone's faces.

The only words spoken were, "Sirius, the baby!"

A/N: Sorry about an evil cliffhanger. I have to. It's my job as an author. So, please review.


	4. The Last Battle

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated recently. I've had the chance seeing as our school closed for exams this week. Yet, after a lovely round of bronchitis, a horrendous cold decided to plague me. So, basically, I've been sick. I still sort of am but I'm feeling much better. I thought writing while I was sick might just make my writing suck in the worst way. I saved you from a bad chapter (hopefully). This chapter is pretty pivotal to my plot. I have some plans in store for this story. It's most definitely not going to be as long as L/J: Their Story of Love. Speaking of, you MUST read that story before reading this one. Most of you know that. Well, on with the story. I hope I write it decently. Please review.

Catch My Fall

Chapter 4-The Last Battle

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Lily sent a worried look over to Halle, who seemed to be crouching down and clutching her stomach. A puddle of water had appeared at her feet. The baby was indeed coming. Sirius' eyes panicked. There were Death Eaters streaming into the reception. Where was he to go?

James eyed Sirius and nodded; Sirius seemed to understand. James outstretched his wand, as did Lily, Remus, Katy, Frank, Alice, Professor McGonagall and the rest of the guests. Within a crack, Sirius had Apparated with Halle to the nearest hospital.

Lily sighed in relief. At least the baby and her friends would be safe. That was the only reassuring thought that heaved into her body. Voldemort seemed to be eyeing all the wands. He wasn't outnumbered though. It seemed as though he had brought his entire pack of Death Eaters.

James wondered how Dumbledore was managing with Barty Crouch in his Animagus form. He knew the old man would persevere without a scratch; but would Barty get away before Dumbledore uncovered who he truly was?

Yet, he shouldn't have felt much worry for the Headmaster. The situation in front of him was one that arose much fear and panic. He was going to be an Auror, he needed to be able to remain strong. It was his wedding day though.

"Avada Kedavra!" the pack of Death Eaters screamed. So much green light filled the hall. Lily and James ducked, hoping everyone else had as well. Unfortunately, they knew not everyone had.

"Stupefy!" Lily and James cried together, standing up once again, hands tied between them. A jet of enormous red light made it's way towards Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Lily took a quick glimpse over the Great Hall. She saw the Longbottoms still alive, Remus and Katy were getting up slowly. She saw that the Prewitt brothers were taking on Death Eaters, fighting vigorously.

The most perfect day of her life was crumbling before her eyes.

"Impedimenta!" James cried, as a jet of light was aiming towards Lily. She snapped back into reality and outstretched her wand.

She was with James, she had chosen a more difficult life at the price of living with the man she loved. She had to face that fact.

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Halle was howling in pain as Healer Lupin rushed her down the hall on a stretcher. Sirius was running by her side, holding onto her hand and nervously trying to help her through it. The baby wasn't supposed to be due for another month or so.

The white walls of the hospital blinded Sirius as he tried to concentrate on thoughts that were slightly more happy. He was going to be a father. Yet, his friends were in danger; on their wedding day.

Halle screamed as a contraction hit her even more hard.

"You need to calm down, Halle dear. Take slow breaths, relax," Healer Lupin advised. Remus' mum was on Halle's other side, holding her hand while Remus' dad was pulling the stretcher into a secluded room.

She screamed in pain once more. It was impossible for Sirius to keep calm at this point. The woman he loved was in pain and he could do nothing.

"Is she ok? What's wrong with her?" Sirius asked.

Remus' mum shook her head, unsure.

"It could be anything," she replied. "She could just be having fierce contractions. There could quite possibly be something wrong with the baby. Was there something going on that could have sparked her to go into labor?"

"Yes," Sirius whispered. "Death Eaters at Lily and James' reception."

"Dear Lord," Healer Lupin answered. There was nothing they could do for the others until the baby was out though.

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Lily ducked a spell, wiping blood from the side of her head where she had fell. James was beside her shooting off spells of purple coloring. He was sweating and panting from all the running. It seemed as if it would never end.

The Death Eaters weren't only targeting him, but they were targeting Frank and Alice. Some of the most prominent Aurors or soon to be Aurors, Frank, Lily, and James, were undoubtedly the reason that Voldemort had struck he party.

James looked over at Remus. He was fighting and hiding Katy from harm's way. She was blasting off spells as much as possible. She had disarmed a Death Eater and was now kicking him.

Lily wanted her friends to leave, safely. It was their fight, not theirs.

James seemed to have thought the same thing.

"Remus, get out here. Take Katy with you," he shouted.

"But, Lily," Katy shouted.

"Just go," Lily screamed, dodging another spell flying at her.

Katy and Remus stared uncertainly at one another. They did as their friends wished though, and Apparated.

It was only when Lily saw someone so out of place, that she dared to run away from the Death Eaters.

Petunia was hiding under a table, crying uncontrollably. She had shown up. Lily cursed herself for even thinking of inviting her. This wasn't the environment her sister should be in. James seemed to have covered her, seeing Lily's sister.

"Petunia," Lily whispered. She took Petunia's hand.

"Lily, why are all these people here?" Petunia asked. Her eyes were wide in fear. She had never looked so vulnerable in her life. Lily the shoe off her foot and whispered, "Portus." An illegal Portkey was the least of her worries at that moment.

She levitated the shoe in the air.

"This will take you home," Lily said. "You need to get out of here."

Petunia touched the shoe and was out of sight within a minute.

Lily knew from that moment that Petunia would be too scared to ever consider a relationship with her sister ever again.

She turned and sent a spell off. Several people had Apparated, listening to James' instructions.

It was down to Lily, James, Frank, and Alice. They were outnumbered now. If they could hold off in time to Apparate, they could make it out safely. Lily saw the dead bodies of Gideon and Fabian Prewitt on the ground. She held back the tears that would inevitably come.

"What do you want?" James screamed at Voldemort.

Voldemort flicked his wand and ropes bound Frank and Alice. They had made to bind James as well but James had stopped them with his own wand.

"Answer me," he hissed.

"Anyone who steps in my way, is going to be brought down. You've gotten in my way for far too long," Voldemort answered. The ropes bound Lily from behind. She turned her head to see a short, stubby Death Eater.

James was silenced as he saw the Death Eater Disapparate with his bride. Two others had done the same with Frank and Alice. It was down to James and Voldemort. James would rather be alive and protecting Lily than dead dueling with Voldemort.

He slowly walked forward and allowed Voldemort to bind him. The last thing he saw before he Disapparated was Dumbledore, entering bloody and tired. A look of failure was on his face as James disappeared from sight.

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"What is wrong with my baby?" Halle demanded, as she lay in bed. The contractions had momentarily paused.

"It seems that in light of the stress, your baby has strangled itself around the umbilical cord. It's still alive although we think that when it comes out, the force with cause the umbilical cord to fasten tighter around the baby's neck thus killing it," Healer Lupin said, sadly.

Sirius and Halle looked stunned. Their baby was in danger.

Halle burst into tears and leaned into Sirius' chest. He put his arms around her and stared disbelieving into the eyes of Remus' parents. He felt his eyes sting with tears but he didn't allow them to fall. He patted Halle on the head, knowing that she was going through the same thing as he was.

With a sharp jerk, she backed away, screaming. The baby was ready to come out once again. The contractions had started at an alarming rate.

"Not again," she screamed.

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James landed, Voldemort gone. He was in a house; a familiar house. He had been here when he had grown up. It was the Prewitt household.

Now that all the Prewitts were gone, Voldemort and his Death Eaters had decided to keep their hostages in this abandoned house. He was in the attic. He looked over to see Lily and Alice crying and holding one another in fear.

Obviously, Frank was remembering just as James had. He too had been to his house before.

"Prewitts," James muttered. Frank understood.

"What?" Lily asked. "You know where we are?"

"Yes," James answered. He rushed over to Lily and kissed her on the lips, thankful she was alive.

"We don't have much time," he calculated. "They're taking a break from the battle and then they're coming up to kill us."

"How do you know this?" Alice asked.

"Typical technique of a Death Eater," Lily, James, and Frank answered.

Alice, who was a Healer, had no idea what they were on about.

"Can we Apparate?" Lily asked.

James strained himself to Apparate but only felt a shock as he tried to do so.

"No, Anti-Apparation jinx," he answered.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Lily asked. "There are no windows, the door is sealed with Dark Magic."

"One thing I learned as a Marauder is that there is always a way out," James said. "I can guarantee that the Prewitt brothers built a tunnel from the attic to their room. I used to come over and they were busy in their room doing something. I never knew what."

"I remember that too," Frank reminisced. "Their room is directly two floors below this, am I right?"

"Yes," James answered. He walked over to the darkest corner of the attic. He started prodding things with his wand. "Which means, that the passage should be somewhere around here."

"The Prewitt brothers were geniuses if I ever saw any," Frank said, prodding things with his wand as well.

"Why don't we make a Portkey?" Lily suggested.

"it won't work," James said. "They'd have thought of it. You can try if you want, but I am sure they put a jinx on this attic restraining us from doing so. Now, if we can get into the Prewitt brothers room, we can make a Port Key there."

Lily and Alice got up and started prodding things with their wands as well. Lily found a painting of a skinny woman in a pink dress. It looked remarkably like the Fat Lady at Hogwarts, although as mentioned, she was skinny and slightly younger.

It was out of the ordinary compared to the rest of the objects in the room. It wasn't covered in dust or cobwebs. She was surprised she had not spotted it before. She touched it and saw that it slid, leaving space for someone to crawl through and slide down.

"I've found it," she whispered, hoping the Death Eaters were not within listening distance.

"Can you crawl through?" James asked.

"Yes, it looks big enough for all of us," Lily replied. She kissed James one last time and slid down.

"You better go next," James advised Alice.

"Yes, honey, you better go before the Death Eaters come," Frank said. Alice slid down, following Lily as well.

"Go," James whispered. Frank nodded at James and did so.

James saw the handle of the door turning. He slid down fast, closing the portrait so the Death Eaters wouldn't know where they escaped to.

He saw Lily levitating a toy broom, Alice and Frank were waiting for James.

"Grab on quickly," James said. They all did so and were transferred to St. Mungos.

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Meanwhile, Halle was experiencing the most painful event in her life. She knew child birth would be painful but she had not expected this. She felt the sharpest pain in her life and then, looking at Sirius for one last time, her eyes closed.

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Lily, James, Frank, and Alice ran down the halls of St. Mungos towards the room in which they discovered Halle was in.

They were an odd sight indeed. Lily and James in their wedding apparel, Frank and Alice dressed nicely for the wedding. Blood and dirt covering them.

They made it to the end of the hall where they saw Sirius, crying.

"They're gone," he whispered. "Both of them."

A/N: Well, there you go. The third time defying Voldemort as well as the birth of Sirius' baby. If you're confused, which I hope you won't be, I'll explain more in the next chapter. Yes, Halle and the baby are dead. That was a horrible chapter to write. Don't kill me please, it had to happen. Sirius doesn't have a wife or child in the books. Looking on the bright side, it was a long chapter. Please review.


	5. Finding Strength

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A/N: I know a lot of you were upset over Halle's death and mentioned that it could have been prevented. I am going to explain more details about it in this chapter. Hopefully, all will be answered. I did things this way for specific reasons. 1) This is not going to be a long fic. 2) Sirius is not a happy-go-lucky guy. He goes to Azkaban with torments. Other than the fact that Wormtail betrayed Lily and James, I tend to believe he had other torments as well. Halle was one of them. So, with Halle gone, Sirius is going to sort of grow up a bit. Just so you know, I've unfortunately had this planned since Halle's return in Chapter 31 of Lily and James: Their Story of Love.

Onto a lighter topic, I have just created a C2 Community dedicated to Lily and James fics. You can find it in my profile under C2 Communities. To those die-hard L/J fans who need more stories to read, I suggest you subscribe. I would appreciate it very much if you did. There are some excellent stories in there from various authors. I highly recommend checking it out.

So, those of you who aren't mad at me for killing Halle and are still reading this, please review. I hope your questions are answered.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 5-Finding Strength

"Gone?" Lily whispered in pure disbelief. Her emerald eyes had grown wide in perception. She saw Sirius' bloody hands that had held the stillborn baby.

Sirius nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes slowly. James bit his lip to stop his own tears from showing. His friend needed him to stay strong for him. He couldn't break down into an emotional mess before him.

"How?" Lily asked. "Wasn't there anything they could do?"

Not only was the baby gone, but Halle was gone. Halle; everyone's friend, the girl who seemed to always carry a glow about her, the smile that never faded.

"The baby came at such an alarming rate that the healers couldn't sustain her in time to research Muggle methods of child birth," Sirius said quietly, taking a seat on the bench behind him.

Alice, who had been friends with Halle and passed along the notes from training to her, began to show tears and her husband rubbed her back.

It was too much for anyone to take in. Halle and the baby were gone. No warning, nothing to even give anyone a heads up on the events that had just taken place.

"How did she die?" James asked. "Many women have miscarriages and still live."

"The baby," Sirius struggled to say. "The baby had strangled itself and apparently it had died due to the amount of stress Halle was feeling. The baby felt the stress and strangled itself. She lost so much blood in the process that it was near impossible that she would live."

Lily sat beside Sirius and put a comforting arm around him. If what the four had just escaped from was frightful, what they had returned to was shockingly terrifying.

"She's gone, Lily," Sirius cried. "She was so young. We're nineteen! What nineteen year old dies during child birth?"

"A stressed one," James replied quietly. "It's all my fault, Padfoot. If those Death Eaters hadn't shown up at the wedding, Halle would still be here. It's my fault."

He felt the tears fall from his own face now. He sat on Sirius' other side and buried his head in his hands.

"You listen to me, Prongs," Sirius said, his voice gaining some sort of control. "Never blame yourself for this. This was no one's fault. No one's. You too, Lily. This is nobody's fault. If anything, it's my fault for getting her pregnant."

"Oh, Sirius," Lily cried. "She was so happy when she was pregnant. I have never seen her smile so much. She was in love with her life and everything in it; especially you."

"It was a girl," Sirius muttered, brushing away the tears.

Lily held back more tears knowing Halle had always wanted a baby girl.

"Halle wanted to name her Cherish. So, on the gravestone it will read Cherish Halle Black," Sirius said.

"Is she still here?" Lily asked.

"No," Sirius whispered. "They took her from me. I got to hold her once. She was so tiny. It's so difficult to think that something so new and innocent could just be taken away."

"That is the injustice of life," James said.

His friend didn't deserve this. He deserved to have his wife and daughter. James couldn't think of anyone who deserved a happy life than Sirius. Sirius always made people so happy. He was always there for James; he didn't deserve this at all.

"This is so horrible," Lily cried. "Why did she have to go?"

"It wasn't in the plans for me to have family," Sirius cried. "It never has been. First, I have parents who think of me as an outcast. Then, the Potters, the only attempt I've made at having a family is stolen from the world. Now, Halle. It's just not in the cards for me to have someone. I'm supposed to be alone."

"No one's supposed to be alone," James remarked. "That's why we have each other. No matter what life brings us, we'll always be friends. We'll be there for each other to get through things like these."

"He's right," Lily sniffed, wiping more tears from her already stained cheeks. "You have us. Don't think you're in on this alone. We all loved Halle; maybe not as much as you did. Still, we're here for you, Sirius. We love you."

"Thanks," Sirius said. Lily, James, and him wrapped themselves into a group hug where more tears were shed.

Frank and Alice had Disapparated to go inform people of Halle. The three of them had nodded with appreciation as the couple did so.

"Lily, James, Sirius," Katy's voice wailed. She had just Apparated with a pop. "How is the baby?"

The three of them broke apart to see their friend, still in her wedding apparel, cluelessly look upon them with concern. They weren't sure how to break it to her.

"What-" Katy stuttered. "What happened?"

She saw Lily's cheeks, Sirius' bloodshot eyes, and James' lowered head.

"Someone," Katy pleaded. "What happened?"

With a pop, Remus Apparated next to Katy. He too seemed to have no idea what had happened.

"Frank and Alice were crying. They said to come here. What exactly happened? Why were they so upset?" Remus asked. "They went on about going to fetch Halle's parents."

"No," Katy whispered. "Don't tell me."

Her eyes turned red in suspicion.

Sirius separated himself from Lily and James and walked over to Katy. He took her hand, his eyes still on the ground spilling tears.

"Halle and the baby are dead," he said.

Katy seemed to have collapsed, Remus and Sirius holding her up.

Lily started crying even more rapidly into James' chest. It was unfair that such a beautiful person, inside and out, had to be taken. Seeing everyone's reaction made it just as bad.

Remus stared into Sirius' eyes disbelieving. The seriousness in his best mate's stare said more than words could tell.

Katy regained some of her composure and sat on the bench that Sirius had just been sitting upon. Her blue eyes were shimmering in tears. Lily, knowing Sirius was far too emotional as it was, proceeded to tell Katy what exactly had happened. She found it hard and didn't know exactly how Sirius had been able to tell she and James.

"Why couldn't they magically get the baby out?" Katy questioned.

"It would have caused the baby to strangle itself even further and it would have died instantly," Sirius mumbled.

"What about a C-Section?" Lily asked.

"A what?" Remus, Katy, Sirius, and James all ask.

She knew that C-Sections must not have existed in the wizarding world; nor stitches as she had discovered back in third year.

"Oh," Lily whispered. "As Sirius said, the baby came too fast to research Muggle methods of child labor. I didn't realize that they didn't use C-Sections."

"Maybe I can talk to my parents about training their Healers to know," Remus suggested, his voice cracking as well. "After something like this, they should know to be prepared in case."

He walked away into his parents' office. They could hear him shouting about lack of responsibility. Lily agreed; they should have known every kind of method for a situation like this.

The four remaining looked up from their sorrows only when they heard several pops indicating more people Apparating.

They saw Alice, Frank, Professor Dumbledore, and a very posh looking older couple whom they didn't recognize.

Sirius stood, as did the rest. Professor Dumbledore seemed very upset behind his calm, stable face. He was trying very hard not to let his emotions get in the way of this meeting.

"Sirius, I wish to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Douglas," Professor Dumbledore said, indicating the couple to his right.

"Sirius, is it? Your name sounds familiar," Mrs. Douglas said. She didn't look upset in the least and Sirius wondered if she had even heard the news yet.

"Halle wrote to you last year to tell you that me and her got married," Sirius retorted.

What kind of parents didn't even remember that their daughter had gotten married? Did they even know she had been pregnant?

"Oh, that's right," Mrs. Douglas said, her lips pursing in disparagement.

"You're luck you caught us, Dumbledore. We were just about to leave for our vacation to Italy," Mr. Douglas said.

Mr. Douglas was a fairly tall man with a neatly trimmed head of brown hair. His eyes were so unlike his daughters, clear blue. He was wearing a suit which Sirius observed as a sign of importance.

Mrs. Douglas had jet black hair sweeped up into a bun and barely visible under her exquisite purple hat. Her chocolate brown eyes were also unlike her daughters, not withholding the friendly, warm feeling Halle's had. Mrs. Douglas' seemed to give off a strict aura and Sirius wondered how Halle had come from such people. He had rarely heard mention of her parents.

"Well, I'm fairly certain you may wish to cancel that trip to Italy," Professor Dumbledore said quietly.

"Why would that be?" Mrs. Douglas asked. "Has Halle gotten herself injured again? She has always been a clumsy girl."

"How would you know?" Sirius retorted. Anger was replacing the aching pain in his heart. These people seemed to think they knew everything about a daughter they rarely saw.

"I would think I'd know my own daughter, Simeon-is that your name?" Mrs. Douglas asked.

"Sirius," Sirius muttered. "Her husband. I knew your daughter better than you probably ever had. Do you even know why you're here? One of the most important moments in your daughter's life was about to happen when something prevented it. Do you even know why the hell you're here?"

"I refuse to allow this young man to talk to me in such manner," Mrs. Douglas said.

"Don't speak to my wife like that, young man," Mr. Douglas intervened.

Professor Dumbledore was looking on, clearly confused as to how he was supposed to handle the situation. Sirius seemed genuinely hurt by the Douglas' lack of concern.

"Halle's dead," Sirius hissed. "She died during childbirth."

"Childbirth? That would mean she was.." Mrs. Douglas said. She gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

"She's dead?" Mr. Douglas asked. His eyes were wide and concerned. Sirius appreciated this opposed to Halle's mum's reaction.

"Yes," Sirius whispered.

"Why didn't she ask us to be here?" Mrs. Douglas asked, tears leaving stains of mascara on her face.

"For the simple fear of time repeating itself," Lily said, standing up beside Sirius.

"What exactly do you mean?" Mrs. Douglas asked.

"I'm Lily Evans, one of Halle's best friends. I've been friends with her since the first train ride to Hogwarts. Through those seven years there, Halle sent you millions of letters. Letters telling you of her times at Hogwarts, how she was doing, who her friends were. Not once did you reply; not once."

Lily felt tears stream down her eyes and she felt no shame. These people deserved to know the truth. Their daughter was amazing and they never took the time to notice.

"We meant to but-" Mrs. Douglas said, turning to Dumbledore in explanation. He looked in no condition to judge anyone.

"But you never did," Katy said, standing beside Lily. "Do you even know who I am? If that's Lily, what's my name?"

"Um," Mrs. Douglas babbled.

"You don't know, do you?" Katy challenged. "I'm Katy Jones, her other best friend. Let me tell you, you missed out on one amazing woman. Halle deserved better parents and she deserved more out of life. She loved life, don't get me wrong, but she shouldn't have died. She was one of the most pure people I knew."

"Do you know what happened to Halle last year?" James asked, standing beside Katy.

"Um," Mr. Douglas mumbled.

"She was classified as insane by the Healers here at St. Mungos. She got hit by the Cruciatus Curse during battle with a death eater. The Healers found a once-in-a-lifetime cure for her and she was revived. Then, she got married to my best mate and they graduated together. Soon, she was pregnant. Pregnant during her time at Hogwarts. Did she have any parents to console in? No. Poor Lily, Katy, and Sirius helped her along when really, she needed parents to talk to. Where were you? Probably on a cruise ship in Costa Rica," James shouted.

"The funeral will be in a week," Sirius muttered. "Do you think you'll have the time to make it?"

The two parents looked clearly abashed. They had just been confronted by four teenagers and had definitely not expected the news they had just received.

"Yes," Mrs. Douglas cried.

"Your daughter and granddaughter deserve nothing less than the utmost admiration and honor," Sirius said. "I hope you realize that."

With that, the two of them Disapparated in tears. Professor Dumbledore walked over and gave Sirius a hug; something that had never happened before. Somehow, Dumbledore seemed to know that Sirius needed an adult figure.

James knew one thing; Sirius would never love again.

.X.

The funeral was a small, private ordeal yet many people had shown up. Sirius saw Lily, James, Katy, Remus, Frank, Alice, and Peter of course. He had expected that. Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick had all show up; Professor McGonagall in tears.

Halle's parents had shown up, true to their word. Many members of the Order had arrived, Remus' parents had come. They had known Halle for some time considering the time she spent in St. Mungos last year. Several students that had graduated with them had shown up.

Sirius appreciated every single one of them. He wanted Halle to receive all that she deserved. She deserved everything, in his opinion.

After they had lowered the two caskets, both located directly next to each other, the crowd began to disperse. Only Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and Katy remained.

Their tears hit the Earth in which their friend would be buried.

"We'll leave you alone with her," Lily whispered, saying goodbye to Sirius. She whispered her last words to Halle as did the rest.

They all Apparated, leaving Sirius with the only true family he'd ever known.

"Halle babe, how could you do this to me? I loved you so much and then you were taken. I don't know how life will be after this. I know you'd want me to move on; but I can't do that. You're the only person I'll ever love. It was so short, our time together, but I don't regret a single moment. Not a single moment. I saw our little girl. She was beautiful. It's a shame she won't get to be brought up in this world with me and you. You would have been an amazing mother. I know it won't mean much to you now, but I wanted to leave these for you."

With those words, Sirius dropped eleven white roses onto her casket. He had kept one for his daughter; Cherish Halle Black.

He cried as he placed that one in the slightly smaller hole. He stared at his wife's gravestone and broke down.

"I'll always love you," he whispered, before standing and walking away.

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Halle Elizabeth Douglas Black

Loving friend, mother, and wife. Rest in peace.

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A/N: Well, that's a mighty long chapter if I do say so myself. Just so you know, I've had the idea of Halle's parents for quite some time. They only just made their appearance as a way to stick true to their character. They're mentioned in chapter 1 of Lily and James: Their Story of Love. Well, please review. I hope you liked it.


	6. Birthday Wishes

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A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews. I love you all. I'm sorry, but lately my writing has been off. Apologies in advance. Please review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 6-Birthday Wishes

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"So now, the four of you have escaped the presence of Voldemort three times?" Professor Albus Dumbledore asked.

Sitting in his office at Hogwarts, James, Lily, Alice, and Frank had gone to inform Dumbledore of their narrow escape.

"Correct," James muttered.

Everyone was still quite shaken up after Halle's funeral; which had been a week before.

"It seems to me that you all have become targets," Dumbledore mused. "For what reason, I am unsure. The only assumption I can make is that you are all strong and well connected. You all have a good relationship with me, you're all in the Order, and you're all of valuable service to the Ministry. Alice heals the injured wizards, including Aurors, Frank is a top Auror already, and Lily and James, you happen to be very promising advocates in training as Aurors."

"You think that is the reason we're all targeted?" Frank asked.

"Also, the four of you know just about everyone in the wizarding world. At your loss, a major decline in performance would occur. Look at this death of Mrs. Black. She knew many, making us all vulnerable to her death. Voldemort knows where we are weak," the aged professor explained.

"Our hearts," Lily murmured.

"Precisely, Lily," Dumbledore acknowledged. "Our ability to love differs us from his clan. That is what makes us so perceptive to his terror. We know that the ones we love are constantly at risk."

"Does that mean our friends are in danger?" Alice quietly asked.

James' ears perked to his question. He hadn't thought of that. Would the Marauders be in danger? Would Lily be in danger?

"Sadly," Dumbledore slowly said. "Yes. The best you all can do at this moment is just keep a sharp eye and a steady heart. I'm continually on the case as to Voldemort's next move. I'm afraid to say that it is hard to prevent deaths from occurring as the Order is highly disadvantaged. Our wizards have extraordinary skill, no doubt, but, there is not enough of us willing to fight against him."

"Is it true that you taught him, Professor?" James questioned.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, softly. "If I had known then what his talent would be used for.."

He shook his head. The memories were clearly paining him. Teaching someone as evil as Tom Riddle had to be a burden.

"Please do take care of yourselves," he called, as the four of them made to leave. "Oh, and good luck!"

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Aside from the news of Halle's death and the danger their friends were in, Lily and James had much larger problems to face. Marriage was a new and unfamiliar thing to them. They had been very close at Hogwarts, yet, there was no way of preparing one's self for the harsh realities of living with another.

New flaws began to appear before their eyes. After long days of vividly draining training, the two of them were extremely irritable.

"Do you want me to cook?" James asked, plopping onto the couch.

"No, I can do it," Lily replied, resting her head on his chest.

"You're tired," he provided. "I'll do it."

"No, sit down," Lily snapped. "We can order in."

"Good idea," James sighed.

"Have you talked to Sirius yet?" Lily asked.

James traced his fingers along her hand, loving the feel of her skin.

"No," he replied. "He went back to work this week. I don't know how he can stand to live in that house still."

"I have a feeling that he'll move into a flat in sure time," Lily predicted. "Halle loved that house. I suppose he doesn't know who is honorable enough to buy it."

"What about Katy? Have you warned her?" James asked.

"No," Lily said. "I don't want to worry her. She looks out for herself anyways though. All Aurors do. I suppose we all have to be a little paranoid to have the nerve to do this job."

"I suppose you're right," James yawned. "Remus has been up to his ears in work as well. He's researching methods of curing lycanthropy. So far, he's had no such luck. The Ministry is allowing him to do that, seeing as it is a certain defensive related topic."

"That's good," Lily said. "I hope he finds a cure. Poor Remus."

"We're not even there to help him anymore," James reflected. "Our lives are so hectic."

"What about Peter?" Lily questioned. "How's he been?"

"Haven't seen him," James said. "He's always been so secretive though."

"That's just Peter," Lily figured.

"We haven't even fought today," James declared. "It must be a good day."

"We're just tired," Lily teased. "We'll get back to it tomorrow."

James leaned down and kissed his wife on the lips. He looked around their furnished house. It brought back memories of his parents. It was sad, but happy all the same. He was glad to be able to keep a piece of them around.

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"More paperwork," Katy grumbled. "Why did we get stuck with Mad Eye? Frank seems like more fun."

"James says they do drills," Lily groaned. "I wish we did drills."

"No," Katy complained. "We get stuck with this nastily exhausting paperwork. This is almost as bad as History of Magic. Are you sure that Moody isn't channeling Professor Binns' spirit?"

"That would explain a lot," Lily muttered.

"Work, work, work," Mad Eye mock-cheerfully called, bringing in another pile of papers.

"You've got to be kidding me," Katy protested.

"Do I look like I have a sense of humor, Jones?" Moody questioned, his eye focused on Katy's equally intimidating pair.

"Yes," she tried, hopefully.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he called, walking out of the office.

"Now I know why they call him mad," she claimed. "So, Lily, what are you doing for the big nineteen?"

Katy had brought up a good point; tomorrow was Lily's nineteenth birthday. How could she have forgotten? Well, the stress, the death of one of her best friends, the demanding Auror training. Those were some reasonable excuses.

"I haven't thought about it," Lily truthfully replied.

"We're full of comedians in this office," Katy laughed. She saw the serious look on Lily's face and stopped. "You really did forget your own birthday?"

Lily nodded.

"You're almost nineteen and yet you've had more put in front of you than most wizards. I guess you don't have time to think of such things," Katy sympathized in a small, quiet voice.

The two of them sat silent for the rest of the time duration at work.

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"Evans! Nineteen now, ay?" Moody asked, clapping Lily on the back.

"It's Potter now," Lily said, lifting up her left hand and showing her ring.

"Oh yeah," Moody said, scratching his head. "Didn't I go to that wedding?"

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. Frank and Alice had stopped by to wish her a happy birthday. She even saw Remus for a moment. He had given her a watch that detected dark wizards within a mile. She had kissed him on the cheek in thanks.

Even poor Sirius stopped by. He had hugged her and given her an album Halle had made. It contained pictures of Hogwarts; their friendship from day one. Both of them had gone a bit teary eyed. Lily smiled, thanking him.

She wondered if James had remembered? He, after all, held the same stress she did. She barely remembered until Katy told her.

__

He probably forgot.

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She walked into the house and saw a brief light. It appeared to be in the kitchen, but seeing as the lights were all out, she couldn't be sure.

__

Is James setting things on fire again?

She headed into the kitchen and switched on the light. A small birthday cake with one candle was sitting on the table. It read, **Happy Birthday Lily!** She smiled. He had baked for her; something that she hadn't imagined possible.

A single red rose was sitting next to the cake. It reminded her of the night they had gotten engaged. Two hands covered her eyes from behind. She smiled, taking in his scent.

"Happy birthday," he whispered into her ear.

"I thought you had forgotten," she breathed.

"How could I forget? I love you," he said, taking his hands off her eyes. She turned to him, feeling a tear of happiness creep into her eyes.

"I almost forgot myself," she admitted.

He held out a slim box and let her take it.

She opened it and found a slim, silver bracelet with engravings.

It read,

****

Forever yours.

She smiled.

"I love it." She put her arms around his neck and kissed him daintily on the lips.

"And I love you," she continued.

"Even when I get on your nerves?" he questioned slyly.

"Even more then. You're the only man I can love for his imperfect nature," she confessed.

"Happy Birthday, Lily," he said, sweeping her into his arms.

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A/N: Short, I know. I have plans. I just need some time to pass before I reach that point. I'm figuring that Lily was about 21 when she had Harry; 22 when she died. That's what I'm figuring. This is her first year of training, so by that time, she'll be done. So, when the prophecy is made, she'll be 20. That'll be next year. So, I still have a year to kill. I may just skip forward in time soon. Please review.


	7. Concealment

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A/N: You all seemed to like last chapter. For that, I'm grateful. I had writer's block. Horrible, I know. As I am reminding, in case you haven't, I suggest you read Lily and James: Their Story of Love before you continue reading this. I am going to assume from this point on that everyone has. A lot of things will be mentioned from that in later chapters. Mainly, when Lily and James do Auror work. So, I have a long weekend and I'm hoping everyone else does as well. Check out my other stories, I have about four others; all of which are different from this one. Please review!

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 7-Concealment

"How in the world does Moody expect me to learn how to use an American accent?" Katy demanded, in her office reading their newest assignment.

"That's a tough one," Lily inferred. "Mine's pretty easy. All I need is a gray wig and I've got the old lady part set. Poor James has to dress up like a woman."

"An American accent though?" Katy questioned, reading the parchment. "Remind me why I'm becoming an Auror?"

"To catch all those bastards who're killing people," Lily informed.

"Oh yeah," Katy sighed. "Why do I have to be a bloody tourist?"

"Moody's going senile and has to get his kicks when he can," Lily provided. She followed Katy out of their office and into a room labeled, **Auror Concealment and Disguise Closet**.

"Who're we tracking today anyways?" Lily wondered.

"Moody reckons that there is going to be a meeting in Knockturn alley between the Death Eaters. You-Know-Who isn't going to be there but supposedly that's where they're to meet before going to see him. That way, we can overhear where they're Apparating to," Katy answered, picking up a fake camera. "Do you suppose this would help?"

"Yes," Lily answered. "Tourists love pictures. She was going through wigs and found an untidy, frazzled gray one. She had already gotten a shawl that smelled distinctly of mold. The things she did for her line of work. If they pulled this off today, they passed the testing in Concealment and Disguise.

Lily and Katy were ahead of most of the Aurors, other than James of course. The three of them were achieving what many did not. Being quick learners helped and the fact that they had experience with Voldemort and his Death Eaters was a plus. So far, they were a year ahead in their training.

"Look at this shirt," Katy commented. "It's some sort of flower print. Who in their right mind would wear this? Oh, and look, shoes with an artificial fish in them. I feel like I'm in the circus."

"These sunglasses are huge. I'll have to use a cane. I think I'll act as though I'm blind," Lily muttered. She was already seeing herself running into people down the street.

"This is not amusing," Katy screamed, seeing Moody pass down the hall. Lily could have sworn that she saw him chuckle a bit.

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Lily was dressed in disguise as Madam Chilling, a regular at the bar in which they were to be stationed at. Her dark glasses covered her green eyes, a sight Voldemort was all too familiar with. Her red hair was indisposed due to the messy wig placed carefully and securely on her head. She had looked in the mirror and could have sworn she'd aged 50 years.

She put her cane in front of her, opening the door to the bar. She used it as a crutch, a convincing alibi. She sat on the bar, looking around carefully. Sure enough, Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Black, and Theodore Nott sat, talking in hushed whispered. Lily knew from paperwork that these three were allegedly the three most important Death Eaters. They were predicted to be stationed right in Voldemort's inner circle.

Lily said in a raspy voice she had practiced, "Scotch please," to the bartender. He started pouring the drink when Lily said, "Make it a double."

She scanned the bar. It was a small, shabby place with the name, 'Drunken Palace'. She found it quite appropriate. It was surprisingly unoccupied other than the three in the corner and herself. The bartender was cleaning dusty glasses and rearranging liquors on the shelves. The fireplace was burning quietly next to Malfoy, who was drinking carefully from his glass. When the bartender came round to fill his cup once more, it looked as though three galleons were placed into his hand. The bartender must have held a deal with the Death Eaters. Galleons for his silence.

The light was barely streaming in through the small windows. It was about three o'clock and yet the surroundings made it appear much later. The wooden paneled floor had several scratched, probably from discontented drunks.

She heard the door clank open but didn't dare look over. She heard the swishing of a camera on someone's neck and figured it was Katy. She heard two sets of footsteps though.

"Come on Charlene," Katy's well-rehearsed high-pitched voice said. Her American accent was actually quite accurate. "That man outside said we can get drinks here. This is an odd part of London."

"Wow, it sure is cozy in here," Charlene said. Lily had no idea who Charlene was supposed to be.

"Damn kids," Lily muttered in her voice just loud enough so the bartender could hear her.

Katy and 'Charlene' sat at the bar, only a few seats away from Lily.

"Look," Katy exclaimed. "She must be a regular."

Lily picked up her drink, first brushing her hand over the counter in what looked like a blind attempt to locate it, and then took a drink of the shot glass.

"Look at that handsome fellow over there," Charlene said, pointing a finger. "That blonde hair is quite fetching."

Lily had an idea of who was Charlene now and she tried her best not to giggle.

"It's rude to point, Charlene," Katy advised, pretending to blush in spite of her friend.

"Mona, I'm sorry. I just can't control myself," Charlene giggled.

Nott was now looking over at Charlene, licking his lips.

"Do you know where the ladies room is?" Katy asked the bartender. The man grunted in the direction near the three Death Eaters.

The two girls scuttled over to the restroom, closing the door. Lily noticed it was kept slightly ajar in hopes to listen. She heard the strained giggling coming from the bathroom.

"Now that those two twits are gone," Bellatrix sighed. "It's only a matter of time until the Dark Lord calls for us."

"Bella," Lucius spoke harshly. "It may not be safe to talk right now."

"There's only that old drunk over there. She's blind as far as I can tell," Bella said in sheer disgust. "Looks like a bum. No one would believe her even if she said anything."

"She's a mumbler," Nott observed. "No one could understand the blubbering fool anyway."

The three of them laughed cruelly. Quite suddenly, a small burst erupted at their table, like the sound of a hiss. A note fell at their table.

Lily noted to herself that this must have been a method of communication for the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

"4:30, 643 Linden Pkwy," Malfoy read in a low voice. Lily had heard it regardless.

As Katy and Charlene exited the bathroom, giggling loudly, Malfoy tore the note into shreds and threw it in the fireplace next to his chair. The three of them Apparated.

Lily took her cue. She stumbled over to one side and fell off her chair. She heard the bartender look over the bar at her crumpled figure. She felt the pounding of approaching footsteps and knew Katy and Charlene were making to pick her up.

"We'll take her to the nearest hospital," Charlene said. "You stay and look over your bar. That poor woman, must've drunk herself into a stupor."

"She seemed already drunk when she came in here," the bartender said.

"Won't be a problem," Katy assured him. She felt two sets of arms pick her up, one set much stronger than the other.

Once they reached outside, Katy and Charlene carried her down the block, far away. They reached an abandoned corner where no one was looking. The three of them Apparated to the Ministry.

Lily took off her wig, as did Katy and James. Lily smiled.

"We need to alert the Aurors and Moody," James said, breathlessly, fully aware he was still dressed as a girl. Katy, James, and Lily practically ran into the Aurors department.

"There's still time," Lily said breathlessly to Moody. "4:30, 643 Linden Pkwy."

"The Roberts' house," Moody cursed. Four Aurors Disapparated out of sight before their eyes.

"Thanks," Moody said. "You all passed."

Frank clapped James on the back before Disapparating.

"When will we be able to go on secret trips?" James complained.

"When we're Aurors," Lily answered sadly. The three of them had experienced part of the excitement. Being so close to the real thing made the longing even more powerful.

"I wish we could have went," Katy vented. She was throwing the fake camera on Moody's desk.

"Someday," Lily promised.

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"Mate, I didn't know being an Auror involved cross-dressing," Sirius admitted.

Everyone was over at Lily and James' house for a weekly gathering. That way, no one lost touch with each other. With such dark times ahead, it was important to keep in touch with loved ones, in case you never saw them again.

So, each Friday night, Lily cooked dinner for everyone with help from Katy and James. After dinner, they would sit in the living room, talking of work and news, sometimes new things learned at the Order.

That night, Dumbledore had announced a meeting the next day. No one knew why, seeing as they had just held a meeting three days previous.

Remus and Katy were holding hands, although seemingly extremely distant. Lily noticed this but did not pry. She figured their busy schedules were finally catching up with them. Sirius was lonely, but tried to remain cheerful in front of his friends. Peter was distant as well, as though he was withdrawing something from all of them.

"Dumbledore reckons that there's someone at the Ministry leaking information," Lily said. "I just don't know who would do that."

"Other than Malfoy?" James questioned. "We all know Malfoy tries to leak important information. As a school governor, he can't do much."

"This is getting too far out of hand," Katy said angrily. "There's no one we can trust."

"Sadly, that is indeed the case," Lily sighed. She looked over at James hopefully. His hazel eyes were sad, as were hers. She rubbed her hand against his.

At least she could always depend on him to be there. That was their agreement; their pact.

A/N: Hope you liked it. I am just taking you along on their journey to be Aurors. The next chapter is the Order meeting. Dumbledore has some suspicions. Please review.


	8. Learning To Trust

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A/N: Everyone thinks the Ministry leak is Peter? I can answer you this, it is not Peter. Peter doesn't work for the Ministry. He was training to become a Healer, a lousy one at that. In GOF it says who the leak is. Since no one knows before the trial who it is, it wouldn't be right for me to name it in the story. Casually glance at that chapter in GOF if you desperately need to know. We're not at the point in the story where Peter significantly sells anyone out. He's just passing the information he _can_ to Voldemort, which isn't much. He's just on his side right now, not really active yet. Just so you all know that. Sorry it's taken so long to update. I've been working on my other stories. So, thanks for all the previous reviews. You guys are great. Keep them coming!

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 8-Learning To Trust

"Well, who here works at the Ministry?" an angry voice shouted.

The members of the Order of the Phoenix were congregated in their usual meeting place, a large basement below James' home. This meeting had been conducted due to the newest piece of information acquired. Supposedly, someone at the Ministry was slipping information to Voldemort.

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," Dumbledore's calm, reassuring voice spoke.

James could understand why Hagrid was so upset. No one was more loyal than Rubeus Hagrid. James assumed it must be hard for him to understand why on Earth anyone would do such a thing. James knew this from first-hand experience as well.

He felt Lily tighten her grip on his hand. The two of them worked everyday at the Ministry and it was unnerving to know someone was betraying the Ministry's trust.

"Calm me self?" Hagrid roared. "Someone's doin' you in. Doin' us all in."

"'Agrid's right," Mundungus Fletcher's drunk voice rose. "Can't be dealin' with these scoundrels. Best to jus' do away with 'em."

"A scoundrel if I ever met one," Moody mumbled behind Lily and James disapprovingly.

As much as James enjoyed holding Order meetings in his basement, it was hard to be a peacemaker. Several members didn't trust the others. Loud, roaring fights often broke loose, even when Dumbledore was not around. It was his job to try and break them up.

It had been Sirius who had thought to use the spacious basement in the Potter manor as a location. Mr. Potter had been very careful in protecting his home. The basement used to be their 'safe place'. Now, with Dumbledore as Secret Keeper and every charm known to man placed upon it (due to Lily), the basement was the safest place for the meetings.

You could only gain entrance from Dumbledore himself. So, more times than not, James was locked out of his own basement. He didn't mind though. It was nice having a larger part in the Order. He was so busy training to be an Auror that he often didn't have time nor energy to help out in a significant way.

Sirius had been running all types of mysterious errands for Dumbledore, such as profiling all the workers at Gringrotts. He had been trying to do as much as possible for the Order since Halle's death, but had found himself lost in his own sadness, drinking himself into a permanent routine. James and Lily made sure to invite him over for dinner at least once a week, praying that maybe a little light could be brought into his darkness.

"The important thing to remember is that only one of us is leaking information," Dumbledore reminded the suspicious group. Nearly everyone was squinting their eyes with accusation. Lily's were the exact opposite; wide and fearful. She hadn't seen Dumbledore so stressed in her entire life. He seemed to be handling much more than any ordinary man should have. Then again, Dumbledore was no ordinary man.

"We don't even know if the source is a part of the Order," Lily announced.

Many heads turned her way. Lily rarely spoke out during Order meetings, choosing to listen instead. Yet, she refused to allow such distrust to leak it's way into the Order of the Phoenix. Voldemort was accomplishing exactly what he wished. He didn't want a strong, trusting group. He wanted a torn, semi-irrational army to fight. One by one they would be dropping like flies and the accusations would be unleashed.

"I am very aware that not every single employee at the Ministry is a member of the Order," Lily explained, her voice calm but low and filled with authority. "It is very possible that the spy is not even aware of the Order. Our job as a team is to find out who that person is."

"Miss Ev-I mean, Mrs. Potter is quite right. It is not good to weaken ourselves with suspicion. We aren't as strong without one another as are with. I have good knowledge that Lucius Malfoy is not aware of such classified information being passed to Voldemort. The information being passed is specifically from the Department of Mysteries. There are many Unspeakables working in this branch of the Ministry so at this time it seems near impossible to correctly assume who Voldemort's spy is. I happen to know that a certain prophecy is being looked into," Dumbledore informed the group.

James sighed. It all revolved back to him in the end. Voldemort was after him for some apparent reason having to do with a prophecy made by Sybll Trelawney. Sybll would be graduating next year, which made James wonder if her prediction had been correct. Yet, Voldemort knew what the prophecy held. _Why did he need someone to feed him information?_

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Lily sat in her office, her lunch lying abandoned on her desk in a brown paper bag. She was vaguely aware of someone speaking but she didn't quite place the words.

"Lily," the voice demanded. "Are you even listening?"

"You're bitching about Moody again," Lily replied thoughtlessly.

"Lucky guess," Katy reasoned, taking a bite of her apple and sighing.

"What's wrong with you?" Lily questioned. "Are things going alright at home?"

"Remus and I got into a fight. We've already made up and everything, but it's still been bothering me. He doesn't think that I should be participating in the Auror program any longer," she summed up.

Katy's blue eyes looked worn from stress and her lines around her eyes deepened. The bags underneath them shone as a light lavender color, making her look far older than nineteen.

"Why would he feel that way? He was supportive in the beginning," Lily wondered, her voice obviously worried James would feel the same way.

"He knows that I work hard and that it's a serious ambition," Katy mocked, using his words. "Remus just feels that the Ministry is too dangerous for me at this time. He's worried the spy will use me in some way."

"You can take care of yourself," Lily insisted.

"My reasoning exactly," Katy agreed, nodding her blonde head. "I don't think he's worried about my physical ability. I think he feels that all that's happened to us might affect how gullible I am. He thinks my emotions will prevent me from seeing the truth."

"Do you feel this way?" Lily asked.

"No," Katy responded. "He doesn't think you should do it either. He talked to James about it last week. Has he mentioned anything?"

The funny thing was that James hadn't even mentioned it in passing. Lily wasn't sure what to think about this.

"No," Lily whispered. "He hasn't."

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"We have two options," James announced, Lily's head resting on his chest. The two of them were lazily sprawled out on the couch after returning from a strenuous training day at the Ministry.

"And they would be?" Lily asked, looking up at her husband.

"We cook or we eat out," James deduced.

"I don't think my legs are functional to move at this point," Lily informed him.

James tried moving his own legs but gave up after a half-second.

"That presents a whole other field of options," James said. "Order-in."

"We could always eat the leftovers in the fridge," Lily reasoned.

James and Lily's eyes darted over to the fridge. The two of them tried to remember what was left inside of it. The two shook their heads together.

"Far too much of an adventure, leftovers," James explained.

"Can I ask you something?" Lily propositioned.

James stopped talking about food and stroked a part of Lily's hair.

"Do you really want to eat leftovers? We can if that's what you want-" James started.

"Why didn't you tell me about Remus?" Lily blurted out. Her cheeks burned crimson in embarrassment but she didn't take back the question. It had been bothering her all day.

"What do you mean?" James asked, looking at the ceiling and practicing his clueless demeanor.

"Give it up, James. I know your act oh-so well already," Lily insisted, flipping over so she faced him.

"I would have thought the reasoning was obvious," James said, his voice low and calm. He smiled although she knew he was nervous. "I know you can handle whatever the Ministry throws at you. I don't need to worry. If I'm not mistaken, you may make an even better Auror than myself."

"I thought you didn't say anything because you didn't worry about me," Lily said quietly.

"Don't ever think that, Lily. If you think I'm not worried, then you're wrong. I'm worried but I trust that you can take care of yourself. I'll be right there with you anyways. As long as I'm there, nothing will ever harm you," he said.

"You're becoming remarkably cliché," a voice said from the doorway. Sirius was smiling and had a handful of Chinese take-out in his arms.

"Padfoot!" James greeted merrily. He waited for Lily to move a bit and then he got up and relieved Sirius of the take-out. Lily kissed Sirius lightly on the cheek and gave him a quick hug. She always made sure to do so, just so he knew people cared about him.

"You're a miracle worker, Sirius Black," Lily said, over her Chinese food.

"I just have impeccable timing," Sirius reassured her. "If I had been a miracle worker, I could have made all this food."

"I'm glad you didn't," James said, in-between bites. "You're a horrible cook."

The three of them laughed over their food, embracing the strong friendship they shared. Lily knew that James had been right, with him she'd always be safe. With him, she'd always have friends and memorable moments. She would always have that dependable Chinese take-out. Even the small things and gestures made helped relieve Lily of her burdens. She truly was safe.

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A/N: Sorry about the length and wait for this chapter. I had incredible writer's block. This chapter sucked in my opinion. Maybe you all felt differently. Please review.


	9. Of Graduation and Job Interviews

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A/N: Someone guessed the spy right! Augustus Rookwood is the aforementioned spy leaking the Ministry's whereabouts to Voldemort. Peter is pretty much on hold at the time being concerning his status as a Death Eater. You'll hate him soon, don't worry. I know I hate him (a lot). I was watching the third movie and I swear, my eyes were sending invisible lightning bolts at Timothy Spall (poor man, those lightning bolts must have hurt). I am guessing only 15 or 20 chapters for this fic. There may be some skipping forward, just so you know. I am not sure how I'll do it, but I will. Please review. Regarding Sybll Trelawney, someone mentioned she can't have a job interview while she's attending Hogwarts. At that moment in time, she wasn't out of Hogwarts. In the bar scene, that is a few years later. She would be a year out of Hogwarts.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 9-Of Graduation and Job Interviews

"Lily Potter," a voice called. Lily sprang up from her seat, smiling at her husband. James had already been called, receiving his diploma. He was watching her, awkwardly dressed in a cap and gown of blood red, and holding his certificate delicately.

Lily walked up the steps, smiling at Katy, who was already on the stage, and shaking the hand of Alastor Moody. The three of them had received a special ceremony on the account that they had managed to complete Auror training in two years, opposed to the standard three. At the age of twenty, Lily was proud of James, Katy, and most importantly, herself.

Soon, she would be out on the field, fighting Voldemort and his Death Eaters. She would no longer be cast to the side while the Aurors snuck off to catch dark wizards. She would be the Auror.

Professor Dumbledore had attended, proud of each and every one of them. He hadn't said those words yet, but Lily could tell from the sparkle in his blue eyes.

She faced her boss, Mad Eye Moody, shook his rough hand, and received the diploma from his other hand. Eyes were on her, whispers following. Lily suspected this. They had either heard that she was a mud blood, former Head Girl and Prefect, or the fact that she was married to James Potter and had escaped Voldemort no less than three times.

"You did it," Moody growled cheerfully into her ear.

"Put you through hell and back though, didn't I?" Lily teased. She saw Frank and Alice in the audience, their new friends. With Frank as James' trainer, the two of them had stopped over for dinner more than once. Lily liked Alice's pleasant demeanor and interesting tales from the hospital.

Moody just grinned at Lily. He knew that he had the greatest bunch of Aurors the Ministry would see in years. Lily Evans (now Potter), Katy Jones, Frank Longbottom, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Emmeline Vance, and James Potter.

As Lily joined Katy and James, she felt her husband slip his hand into hers. She gave his a reassuring squeeze. She felt the other Aurors sneak up behind them. A photographer from the Daily Prophet snapped their picture, just as they threw their hats into the air.

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"Most impressive group of Aurors the Ministry has seen to this date," Sirius read, sipping coffee and propping his feet onto the kitchen table. "Prongs, I'm surprised I haven't heard you gloating_-much_."

"Sirius Black, get those filthy feet off my kitchen table," Lily warned, blushing at the headline in the paper.

"Whatever you say, dear," Sirius obliged, taking his feet off the table and removing a piece of toast from the stack.

"They say that every year," James insisted, taking the paper out of Sirius' hands.

"Hey, I didn't even get to do the crossword," his friend argued.

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Newest Group of Aurors at the Ministry

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Captivating journalist and brutally honest reporter, Annabelle Skeeter takes you, the readers of the Daily Prophet, inside of the latest news surrounding the Ministry. Three new Aurors have joined the ranks of the Ministry.

Why is this so special, you ask? Why must this be on the front page? Many wizards and witches train to become Aurors. During such dark times, this profession seems to be the most honorable. What can possibly be such big news?

Auror training takes three years to complete, but twenty year old's Lily and James Potter and their close friend, Katy Jones, have all graduated from their training one year early.

The attractive Potter couple ventured upon the Auror career, no doubt, after the death of young James' parents. Harry and Judy Potter were two of the most prominent Aurors the Ministry had. Yet, according to an insider at the Ministry, Lily and James look promising to take the limelight off of James' parents.

James, Lily, and Katy have all had personal encounters with You-Know-Who. Will these three be the ones to stop He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Names permanently? We at the Daily Prophet sure think so.

"Rubbish," James muttered. "There is no way I could possibly be better than my parents. They were on the field for years."

"You never know," Lily shrugged. "Sirius, when are the others coming for the meeting?"

"Any time now," Sirius reported, checking the clock above the kitchen sink. "You do know we'll be holding a little get together in the Three Broomsticks in honor of this little achievement?"

"Honestly, Padfoot, do you really have to?" James asked, rolling his eyes but laughing all the same. They all could use some time away from work, the Order, and home.

"Lighten up, Prongs," Sirius said, punching James lightly on the shoulder and stealing back the crossword.

"It'll be fun," Lily whispered into her husband's ear.

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"As you all know, it is very important to have Aurors on our side," Dumbledore reminded the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

Everyone was gathered in Lily and James' basement for the weekly Order meeting. Hagrid was positively beaming at Lily, James, and Katy with appreciation. James couldn't deny it, it was hard not to enjoy the attention. They had worked very hard to graduate early and now, everything was paying off. He was so proud of Lily and Katy. They had persevered very well.

"With Aurors, we can have the latest news of what Voldemort is up to," the headmaster of Hogwarts rambled on. Nearly everyone shuddered at the mention of Voldemort's name. "So, Lily, James, and Katy, we are very happy to hear that you've successfully made it through training."

"Thanks," Lily mumbled, her face hot with flattery and embarrassment. Katy and James looked the same way.

"There is still no word on who the spy in the Ministry is," Dumbledore informed the group. "I would like to express that I don't believe that anyone here is the spy. I wish for everyone to remain on good terms through this momentary patch of disunity. It is important to stick together."

As the members of the Order slowly got up and started for their departure, Lily and James stood in order to say goodbye.

"We're all so happy to have you all on our team," Emmeline Vance grinned, waving her hand goodbye. "See you bright and early on Monday," she called before Disapparating.

"Lily, James," Kingsley Shacklebolt greeted, his low voice smooth and relaxed.

"Kingsley," Lily said, shaking his hand and smiling. "Glad you could make it."

James shook Kingsley's hand, grinning.

"Suppose we'll be on the same team?" James questioned.

"I'll make sure we are," Kingsley reassured James. He was not much older than Lily or James. He seemed like he may only have been two years ahead of them. He was very advanced for his age as well. "You've both got exuberant amounts of potential."

The two of them beamed at such a compliment.

"See you Monday," they called as he left.

"Potter, Ev-Potter," Moody said before leaving, catching his mistake. "Better not be late."

"Don't worry," James reassured his boss. "We won't be. Lily is so anal about time."

"I am not," Lily objected, smacking her husband in the arm.

"Who's anal?" Sirius asked, coming up behind them. "I bet it was Lily. She is so anal about time."

"Good Merlin," Lily sighed. "Not you, too."

"Sorry love," Sirius apologized. "We still love you."

As the crowd dispersed, eventually, only Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Katy, Frank, Alice, and Dumbledore were left.

"Would you guys like to join us in the Three Broomsticks?" Lily offered, seeing Frank and Alice.

"We really shouldn't," Alice started.

"Of course you can," James said, patting Frank on the back. "You have to. It's an obligation now."

Alice giggled. "I suppose you're right."

Lily turned to see Professor Dumbledore cleaning up with his wand.

"You don't have to do that, Professor," Lily addressed, seeing the small amount of mess vanish with a flick of his wand.

"Not a problem," Dumbledore insisted. "We impose enough as it is."

"Professor," Lily said. "Would you like to join us?"

"As much as I would like to still believe I am young, I have to decline. I have a job applicant meeting me at the Hogs Head," he sighed. His eyes looked worn and tired.

"What for?" Lily asked.

"Divination," he explained. "Wooly subject if you ask me. If she's not up to it, I may have to cancel the subject entirely."

"Who is the applicant?" Lily asked.

"Sybll Trelawney," Dumbledore said. "She graduated last month. She feels that she has what it takes to teach the class. Must be the Seer in her blood. We'll just have to see."

"Yes," Lily agreed. "We will."

She watched as the Professor who had changed her life, disapparated. She felt tears sting her eyes as she remembered the sadness in his eyes. It seemed as though no one invited him to the Three Broomsticks much anymore. Only when James called her name did she wipe those tears away.

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A/N: Please review. Sorry about the length.


	10. The Prophecy

A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews. I am very happy that you all liked it. This chapter will most likely be about two or three months after Lily and James became Aurors. Like I said, I think I'll focus more time on their last year than the years leading up to it. I want to try and capture how much they loved their son. This story is going to be more about them being parents than it will be about just them. I am not sure whether I'll do an epilogue or not. If you wish, I will. At the end, if you all deem it necessary, I just might. So, I hope you enjoy. Please review.

Catch My Fall

Chapter 10-The Prophecy

Lily, James, and Katy learned a lot of things since becoming Aurors. They learned that the Ministry had no idea on Voldemort's recent whereabouts. Also, the spy had yet to be discovered. Currently, that was the mission the Aurors were working on.

They also learned one crucial thing; Mad Eye Moody was _very_ paranoid. He barely trusted his own Aurors and he was always on guard. James suspected this had to do with the large chunk missing from the man's nose. It would be hard not to be paranoid after that.

Order meetings were very inactive, seeing as the spy had yet to be revealed. Dumbledore seemed unusually alert and he seemed to be withholding knowledge from everyone. James assured Lily it was just stress, but Lily knew better. She didn't pester as it wasn't her place, but every now and then she invited Dumbledore over for dinner. He had yet to accept, but always asked for a rain check.

Upon returning home from a long day's work, Lily and James passed out on the couch. James kissed Lily as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"What's in store for us tonight?" she asked him.

He tried to think back to any prior engagements they had made.

"Well, since Sirius isn't here, we must have had plans," James said, scratching his head. "It can't be Remus and Katy. The two of them are visiting her parents and twin brothers. I remember Moony went shopping to buy the two of them jokes from Zonko's. He asked for advice from an expert."

"Plans," Lily strained, trying to remember. "Who could we possibly have plans with?"

"Moody never invited us to dinner, did he?" James questioned warily.

"God no," Lily said. "Could you imagine how awkward that would be? Eating dinner with my boss. I think I would have to pass.."

"Eating dinner with my boss," James relayed. "Would Frank be considered our boss?"

"Frank and Alice!" Lily remembered, smacking her forehead. "Quick, shower and get dressed. I'll owl the restaurant and tell them we're on our way."

"For only being twenty years old, we sure do have bad memories," James pondered.

"Shower! Now," Lily ordered, pointing a finger toward the bathroom.

.X.

As the two of them strolled into the restaurant, they apologized countless times to the other couple.

Frank and Alice were glowing, not at all concerned as to Lily and James' tardiness. Alice's blue eyes were sparkling, dancing with a light Lily had not seen before. Lily wondered what could make her this happy.

"So, Alice did you get that raise you wanted?" Lily asked, pondering if that was the reason her friend was so ecstatic.

"No," Alice said in a very serene voice. "My boss is a cheap skate who can't remember my name."

The smile didn't fade from her face as she said these words. Frank was also grinning.

"Did the two of you get a pet?" James asked, finding another reasonable explanation.

"I break out in boils at the sight of anything covered in fur," Frank explained, still joyous and merry.

"Did someone place a Cheering Charm on the two of you?" Lily inquired.

"No," they said together.

"Won the lottery?"

"No."

"Won a free vacation?"

"No."

"Invented a new substance that grants world peace?"

"No."

"Dear Lord," Lily cried. "Why are the two of you so happy?"

She realized just then that she had stood up and several people in the restaurant were now looking at her.

"Excuse my wife," James apologized. "She's not all there, if you catch my drift."

Lily rolled her eyes and then looked back at Frank and Alice. "Out with it."

"I'm pregnant!" Alice cried, showing off every one of her sparkling white teeth in a large smile.

Lily got up and hugged her, James shook Frank's hand.

It appeared that Lily and James were very happy for the Longbottom's. Inside, a different emotion was occurring; jealousy.

.X.

"Why didn't we ever think about children?" Lily asked.

James sighed. He knew exactly why they hadn't discussed it. There was one good, perfect reason the topic had never lingered into their conversation.

Sirius.

After Halle died, the two of them had held an unspoken agreement not to make things any harder for their friend. Bringing a child into the equation could do just that. Sirius hadn't only lost his wife, he had lost his daughter as well.

"You know why," James whispered. "I only wish it wouldn't hurt him."

"I know," Lily sighed. "I love Sirius, he's a dear friend. It's been almost a year and a half. He can't expect us to put our family on hold?"

"Sirius never expected us to put anything on hold," James reminded her. "We did this because he's our friend."

"It can't hurt to try though, can it?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"I like the way you think, Mrs. Potter," he said, scooping her off the couch and carrying her into their bedroom.

.X.

Two weeks later, Professor Dumbledore was speaking on behalf of the lack of activity Voldemort had shown for the last couple of months. He suggested that he was planning something, something no one else knew of.

Lily felt faintly nauseous, finding it hard to pay attention to the words her old professor was speaking. She felt cold sweat drip off of her face and she felt James' concerned glare come from beside her. Katy picked up Lily's hand and led her into the bathroom. James followed the two of them, excusing himself from the meeting. Dumbledore nodded.

When he entered the bathroom upstairs, he heard his wife vomiting. He looked in to see Katy scooping up her auburn hair and filling a glass of water from the sink.

"I'll take over from here," James offered, relieving Katy of her duties. Katy stepped aside, although she didn't leave.

"This looks strangely familiar to me," Katy mentioned, watching Lily wipe her mouth off on a towel.

"Must be food poisoning," Lily commented.

"What did you eat for lunch?" James asked.

"A banana," Lily replied.

"You can't get food poisoning from a banana, can you?" he asked Katy, trying to figure it out himself.

"I don't think so," Katy said, scratching the back of her blonde head. "Was this banana an old banana?"

"No," Lily answered. "I just bought it at the market on the way to work."

"She did," James remembered. "I was there, but I was off buying sweets."

"Typical," Katy muttered. "Are you feeling any better, Lily?"

Lily nodded, lying. James and Katy appeared to believe her for the moment. She got up, feeling her head become dizzy in the process. As James helped walk her back into the meeting, they noticed everyone had left.

Voices could still be heard though. They turned the corner to hear Professor Dumbledore speaking with Frank and Alice.

"It has come to my attention that the two of you are expecting," Dumbledore said, in his casual tone.

"Yes, that's right," Frank said, squeezing Alice's hand.

"A couple of months ago, I witnessed something truly unexplainable. At the time, I had no idea as to what the relevance was. Now, upon hearing your news, it is hard not to connect the two," the old man continued on. James, Lily, and Katy remained stationary, listening intently.

"What are you talking about, professor?" Alice asked worriedly. "Is something wrong with my baby?"

"Not that I know of," Dumbledore honestly answered. "When interviewing Sybll Trelawney for the position of Divination at Hogwarts, a mysterious circumstance arrived. She made one actual prediction; not intentionally of course. If I'm doing the math correctly, you're due in mid to late July?"

"Yes," Alice said warily. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything," Dumbledore said. "If you may, I have brought along my pensieve in order to recall the precise wording of the prophecy."

"Prophecy?" Frank questioned nervously.

"Yes," Dumbledore supplied. He picked his stone basin from the ground and took the lid off of it. With a prod from his wand, the figure of a young Sybll Trelawney appeared.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.._"

"The two of you have escaped Voldemort's grasps three times?" Dumbledore asked.

"Y-y-yes," a slightly shaken Frank answered.

"As far as my knowledge goes, I am almost positive that Voldemort does not know of this prophecy," Dumbledore informed them. "I feel it necessary that the two of you know this. This should not alter your lives for the time being, but eventually, this may come into play. You're the only ones compatible to this description."

At these words, Lily rushed up the stairs to the toilet once more. Dumbledore's head turned sharply to the sound of James running after her. He saw a fearful Katy Jones around the corner, holding her hand to her mouth.

"That's where you're wrong, professor," she whispered.

A/N: So? I do hope I'm not rushing this too much. If I am, I apologize. Lily still has 9 months of pregnancy to go through. Please review.


	11. Chilling News

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A/N: Sorry for leaving you hanging like that! I am also sorry if this chapter isn't very long. I have been very busy lately. I figure a short chapter soon is better than no chapter whatsoever. So, please don't hate me if it is short. I only have about an hour to spare at the moment. I'll try and make it good though. So, please review.

Also, regarding Sibyl's name, I spelled it wrong in the other one. I just figured that I'd make it Sybll in this one since I'd already used it so many times. I did realize my mistake back in the other story. I just didn't think it completely necessary to change.

Catch My Fall

****

Chapter 11-Chilling News

"Pregnant," Healer Lupin declared, announcing Lily's test results for the couple to hear.

"Are you sure?" James asked, taking a huge breath and looking over unsurely at his wife.

"Not even three weeks along," Remus' father informed them. "It seems that the morning sickness is usual for this stage in the pregnancy."

"Gee, more to look forward to?" Lily grumbled. "It seems I can't keep anything down."

"It'll pass soon," the other Healer assured Lily. "The first month is almost always the hardest. Your body is changing and you're preparing yourself with the shock of it all. Most mothers feel awkward at first, what with knowing they're going to be carrying around another human being for the next nine months."

"You really do highlight the flattering aspects of expecting," James insisted, seeing Lily's suddenly overwhelmed face.

"Mrs. Potter, it seems that if your pregnancy is a normal pregnancy, your child should be born early August; give or take a couple weeks," Remus' mum provided warmly. She was standing kindly beside Lily, patting her shoulder in a motherly way. Even if Lily barely knew Mrs. Lupin, she was grateful for the gesture.

James nodded at the words and thanked all three of the Healers.

"If that's all, do you mind if we go? We might have some things to discuss," James departed.

"Congratulations," the three Healers called off.

"Thank you," Lily whispered appreciatively.

__

I'm going to be a Mum! An actual mum? My mum has been gone for years. What if I forget how good she was to me? What if I completely screw this child up? Being pregnant isn't as cracked up as I thought it would be and I'm only three weeks along!

Thoughts were racing through Lily's mind. James had his hand protectively across her shoulder and was steering her towards the exit.

"We need to go see Dumbledore," he reminded her in a quiet voice. Apparently, Lily hadn't been the only one with mixed thoughts on the surprising news.

Lily nodded, shedding a slight smile James' way. He grinned back at her and Disapparated with a crack. Lily did the same.

The two of them landed in the living room of their home, right in front of the entrance to the basement; formally called the Order premises.

James knocked three times on the door, something Dumbledore had insisted on, and saw a piece of parchment slide under the door.

****

Flagari Eguilmente.

That was the incantation it read. Lily flicked her wand and performed the jinx, feeling the door handle turn as she was complete.

The two of them walked steadily down the stairs, knowing that Dumbledore wasn't merely worried for the sake of Lily's pregnancy. James had a gut feeling that something was happening, something big.

Professor Dumbledore was sitting at a small card table that had been stored in the basement for quite some time. He had magically produced three chairs; one for himself, two for Lily and James. He was seated with his hands together, glossy eyes looking forward. His crooked nose seemed to stand out now for some reason. The expression on his face cast the mood of what would be soon to come.

James knew this was no congratulatory meeting. Something was up, something huge. He had a feeling it might have to do with Katy. Katy had been acting strangely for the entire week, forbidding herself to share the information she had acquired at the last Order meeting. She promised that Dumbledore would speak to them. She had swore that he would be the one to do it, much as it pained her to withhold information from her friends. Remus had grown worried of her. She had been looking rather pale, somehow fearful, and had become extremely jumpy and nervous.

"Please take a seat," Dumbledore welcomed in a kind voice. He smiled at the two of them. "I suppose that Lily is indeed pregnant?"

"Yes," James answered for the two of them. Lily had just nodded her head, still trying to put pieces together.

"Normally, I would be ecstatic for the two of you. Don't take this the wrong way, I know the two of you will be great parents. The timing is just incredibly off. It seems that a lot of families will be expecting this year. The Longbottoms, the Malfoys, the Weasleys. Hogwarts will indeed be full in about eleven or twelve years," the professor explained.

"Is that significant?" Lily questioned anxiously, wanting the worst to be over with.

"Not really," Dumbledore honestly answered. "I must admit that I have been stalling this. As the two of you know, I've always held a soft spot for your class, particularly you two. I am very proud of the Longbottoms, yet this is extremely hard for me to tell the both of you. I've watched you grow with pride and laughter, something rarely shown from my part. If it had been any other family, I don't think it would have been this hard."

"Why does it have to be so hard?" James asked. "Is it bad? Are we in danger?"

"Not necessarily the two of you," Dumbledore corrected. "Lily, when are you due to have the baby?"

"Early August supposedly," Lily replied. "The Healer did say I could be either early or late, depending on how the pregnancy goes. It's too early to tell truthfully."

"I think there is something you should hear," he said, pulling out a stone basin with images floating through the metallic liquid. Lily and James recognized it as a Pensieve.

After hearing the prophecy, Lily and James' reactions were quite like Frank and Alice's had been. Disbelief and fear had seeped into the depths of their thoughts, bringing unwanted memories into action.

"Three times," Dumbledore softly reminded them. "Voldemort has encountered the two of you three times, failing to succeed and kill all three. The most recent was shared with Frank and Alice."

"Frank and Alice?" Lily demanded. "What do they have to do with anything?"

"Everything," Dumbledore explained. "You see, there are _two_ families who apply to that prediction. The Potters and the Longbottoms. They also have persevered against Voldemort's wrath three times. At this point, I can assure you that Voldemort has no idea of this information. I have my sources at the Hog's Head that can tell me that no one overheard Sybll and I."

"I have a question," James spoke up. "That prophecy may be inferring that our child could be the one to vanquish Voldemort?"

"Quite possibly," Dumbledore sighed. "You see, there is no telling which family it could be. All we can do is hope he doesn't know anything about this. You need to act as if nothing is wrong. It is ok to tell people you're pregnant, Lily. There is no harm in that. If he knows nothing, he can't do a thing. As for me, I wish you two the best of luck. I do hope everything turns out for the best."

Lily and James looked over and realized their hands had been intertwined the entire time. They smiled at one another, although the stress was showing. James had a feeling Lily would most likely explode the moment Dumbledore left the house.

"Good night," he called, disappearing with a sweep of his cloak.

The couple made their way up the stairs and into their home.

"Our child, James," Lily repeated. "How could something that is barely even formed have the powers to get rid of _him_?"

"I don't know," he confessed. "I really don't know, Lily. All I do know is that our lives are going to be different from this moment on. Even if our kid isn't 'the one', we're going to be parents."

"I guess there is nothing to worry about for now," Lily sighed. "Voldemort doesn't know."

"Dumbledore's right," James stated. "We should tell people."

"About the prophecy?" Lily asked. "Or the pregnancy?"

"Well," James reasoned. "Only trustworthy people of the prophecy and everyone about the pregnancy."

"Oh," Lily breathed. "Sirius should be the first we tell. He deserves to know."

"I think we should have everyone over at the same time," James suggested. "That way we'll have a better chance of keeping it all in confidence."

"Hope you're right," she said, leaning over to kiss her husband, the father of her baby. He was the only man she loved at the moment, the only one she knew would always be there. They were in it together.

.X.

"Congratulations Prongs," Sirius cheered, standing up from his chair at the kitchen table and hugging his best friend. He walked over and scooped Lily off the floor. He put her down instantly.

"Oh right, pregnant. Forgot," he said sheepishly, although he was glowing.

James and Lily were relieved he wasn't mad.

"How could I be? I love rug rats," he insisted. "Can't wait for a little James or a little Lily."

Katy rushed over to hug Lily, even if she had known all along. She still knew something the others didn't, but she wouldn't be the one to say it. Lily had a feeling Katy already knew about the prophecy. A glint in her friend's eye assured her of this.

With exchanged of hugs from Remus, Peter, Sirius, and Katy everyone grew silent.

Lily and James were glancing nervously at one another. Lily nodded and James focused his eyes on his friends.

"We have something else," he announced.

"Twins?" Sirius asked, almost bursting his bubble.

"No," Lily assured him. "Something a little disappointing."

"We're trusting all of you to let this information stay in this room and this room alone," James projected, his voice shaky at the thought of betrayal. "There is a prophecy."

Sirius stopped leaning back in his chair to listen better. Peter's ears perked up at the mention of new information. He had started sweating profusely.

"In this prophecy, the prediction was that our child, whatever gender it may be, may possibly be the one to vanquish Voldemort," Lily declared, her voice trembling. It almost made everything official, telling the others.

"How do you know?" Sirius asked attentively.

"Well, in it, the one to strip him of his powers is to be born to those who have thrice defied him," James explained, repeating the words spoken in the Pensieve. "Also, it is to be born at the end of July."

"When you said possibly, does that mean that it might not be your kid?" Remus questioned, looking at his friends fearfully.

"It might be Frank and Alice's child as well," Lily said.

Katy nodded, her face still pale and her eyes still teary. She had kept the information to herself for a whole week and now that everything was said, it felt harshly unreal.

"We'll be here for you guys," Sirius said, standing up.

"The thing is," James mentioned. "Voldemort doesn't know."

Peter's eyes landed on his friend at these words. James had always been a great friend, someone to be admired. Yet, it was always him in the limelight. When would Peter have his chance? He had always wondered this himself. The opportunity seemed almost too good to pass up.

The saying goes, "It's always the quiet ones." Peter Pettigrew had not spoken a word the entire night.

****

A/N: Hope you all liked it. Please review.


	12. Ties That Bind

A/N: Well, you all seemed to like last chapter! I am sorry about the wait, school/sports/homework/everything has been pretty much clustered together making it near impossible to find time to write. As requested, I will include some Remus/Katy time. I have other plans as well. Actually, my mind has been scheming for the past couple of days in order to make the plot a bit more elaborate. This will be happening in about four or five chapters. I have decided to make this fic a bit longer. As long as it needs to be, actually. I want to do it justice. A character from L/J: Their Story of Love will be returning (briefly) in order to fill out this plot. None of you will remember who it is, I am pretty much guaranteeing that. It's not a big one, and it is not Venus or Cole. Just so you know..

Well, on with the story. Please review.

Catch My Fall

Chapter 12-Ties That Bind

The next couple of weeks were spent trying to make Lily as comfortable as possible. She had grown only slightly irritable, mainly due to the morning sickness and lack of sleep. She did her best to make it to work every day, giving Auror work her all. Katy was extremely proud of her best friend. If the situation had been reversed, she wouldn't know what to do with herself. Yet, Lily was staying strong.

Even after all the prophecy information came their way, James and Lily did their best to act as normal as possible. James made Lily dinner a few times, shocking the both of them. The kitchen still had yet to spontaneously combust while he was cooking.

Katy found working as an escape. Even if her friends weren't worried, she was. She didn't like the fact that Voldemort could be putting her friends and their future baby at risk. The entire business was very shady. As a release, she worked her heart and soul off, trying to keep her mind elsewhere. Some nights she cried herself to sleep, missing Halle and worrying for Lily and James' safety.

She didn't know if she could take another loss. The past years had been hard for her, training to be an Auror and the death of one of her best friends. Everything following Halle's time in St. Mungos had been escalading into an inescapable torment. The attacks, Venus Adams, the fire, Cole Jacobs, Grace Adams, Halle's pregnancy, the wedding, and the deaths of Halle and Cherish. Now add a prophecy to the mess and you found an emotional roller coaster.

As she climbed into bed that night, she felt for Remus beside her. Instead, the cool sheets grazed her fingers. The two of them had recently moved in together, hoping to improve their hardly-existent relationship.

She switched the bedside light on and found that Remus Lupin was not where he was supposed to be. She rubbed her eyes and hopped out of bed as quickly as she had hopped in. As she made her way down the hall, she saw the light in the kitchen on. How had she missed that on her way in?

Remus was standing over the island, his hands folded and his eyes low and sad. Scars of his last transformation still lingered upon his face. Katy walked over to him and brushed her fingers across those scars, hoping to heal them the best she could. She looked over at Remus, meeting his eye.

"Why aren't you in bed?" she asked him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm worried, Kate," he confessed, breaking the eye contact the two of them held.

"What for? If it's about Lily and James…" Katy started, resting her hand on her forehead. He shook his head.

"Don't get me wrong, they're in my thoughts. I just need to talk to you," he said, turning to face her.

"What's wrong?" she questioned. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not at all," he insisted. "It's more of the fact that I never see you."

"You know I can't do a damn thing about my hours," she protested. "Being an Auror involves making sacrifices on behalf of the safety of the magical community."

"Every night? Seven days a week? Fourteen hours a day? When you're not at work, you're sleeping. Don't get me wrong, I love that you're an Auror. Since the day I met you, back in first year, I've known you were going to do great things. It's the fact that I don't understand why you're drowning yourself in your job," he said. Katy's eyes sparkled lightly with tears, hearing his words and comprehending their meaning. "Is it something _I've_ done? Have I driven you away? How did it feel to know that I wasn't there tonight? To feel the empty spot in bed beside you? I feel that every night. It makes me wonder if you're falling out of love with me."

"Remy," she whispered. She tried to take his hand, but he gently declined the offer.

"Lily doesn't work seven days a week," Remus pointed out.

"She's pregnant," Katy proclaimed. "Ever heard of maternity leave?"

"She's only three weeks along," Remus said. "Aside from that, I see James more than I see you. He's an Auror. Shouldn't he have the same hours?"

"Yes," Katy said quietly. "He should."

"I just want to know if you're ok," he assured her. "I love you, Katy. I always have. You're it for me. We've talked about marriage, but you seem uninterested in it right now. I respect that. You've finally managed to become an Auror, marriage is the furthest thing from your mind. I just don't want to lose what we have."

Katy stared at the floor, leaving a silence hanging between the two of them. They stood like that for several minutes. Finally, she lightly kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "You did nothing wrong."

She left him standing there, still confused as ever.

.X.

Sirius Black sat in the Hogs Head, downing as many shots of fire whiskey as he could. The bartender knew him by now, had known him for years. Sirius spent a lot of time thinking and drinking away his problems in that pub.

The night was young, a slightly gleaming moon visible from his seat at the bar. Normally, it would be closed, but the bartender knew Sirius had a lot on his mind that night. Only a mumbling witch in the distance remained, calling her shot glass "Scruffy" and scraping her shoe along the floor.

Sirius was used to those kind of people. He feared that some day, he would turn out just as that mumbling witch had. Yet, temptation was reaching out for him, begging for him to take another shot. So, he did. Life without a family was hard. He had no one to turn to, nowhere to go. Lily and James were the closest thing to family he'd had in awhile.

The news of Lily's pregnancy had overwhelmed him. He was very happy for his friends, wishing them the best of luck. That much hadn't been a lie. He kept some thoughts hidden within, knowing he would only bring their happiness down by announcing them. The news of the prophecy had shaken him, making him fearful for them and their child. He didn't wish what had happened to him upon anyone.

The sound of the bell jingling and footsteps made him turn his head. What he saw was an angry redhead, a very familiar redhead. He knew her of course, everyone knew her. Lily Potter had come right up to him and hit him on the head with her purse.

"Sirius Black, what are you doing in this pub?" she demanded, her voice intimidating to him.

"I was-er-um," he managed to slur out.

Lily swished her wand, muttering an incantation, and automatically, Sirius felt his head start to pound and his vision start to clear.

"Had to sober me up, didn't you, Lily?" he asked, his voice now manageable.

"I refuse to talk to a drunk," Lily explained. "Another little reminder, you are not a drunk."

"How do you know?" he asked, his voice holding onto it's bitterness.

"Let me ask you again, what are you doing in this pub?" she questioned. She was in her plaid pajamas, a cloak messily over them. It seemed as if she had literally hopped out of bed to fetch him.

"A better question, what are you doing in this pub?" he retorted, concerned. "Lily, you have to work in the morning. James would kill me if he knew you were here."

"You're right," she assured him. "He would. He thinks I'm over at your house brining you leftover soup. When you weren't there, I came here."

He cast his head down in shame. He knew he should have been at home, not at the pub drinking.

"You don't understand, Lils," Sirius said. "It's been so hard. I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"That is a lie," she said. "You could have come to me or James. What about Remus or Katy? Peter? We're all here for you."

"It's not the same and you know it," he mumbled. "I miss her so bad. I sometimes wonder if I'd have been a good husband, a good father. It haunts me."

"You were a good husband," Lily said, sitting down at the stool beside him. "She loved you so much. I'd never seen her as happy during the time the two of you spent together. Halle was one of my best friends. It was hard on all of us."

"I don't want anything to happen to you, James, or the baby. I don't know if I could take it," he said, his voice cracking slightly.

Lily sighed. She hadn't realized that only she and James were effected by the news of the prophecy. It had obviously frightened all their friends.

"When I heard you were pregnant, the first thing I thought of was Cherish. I'd only wished she could have lived. I know she and your baby would have been friends. I could feel it. Now, we'll never know," he whispered.

"It's ok, Sirius," Lily said, patting him on the shoulder. "You can always come to us. James and I love you. You're our best friend. You don't know how much you mean to us. I was worried when you weren't at your house."

"That house brings back memories," Sirius explained. "I can't stand being there alone. So, I came here. I've come here almost once a week since she's died."

"There are other ways of living," Lily insisted. "She wouldn't want you to mourn the rest of your life. You're free, Sirius. You've never been one to mope. Where is the Sirius Black I know?"

"He died with Halle and Cherish," Sirius quietly informed her. Lily nodded, giving him one last hug. She only hoped he would go home and move on. Things were just not that simple.

.X.

As Sirius stumbled into the graveyard, he stopped at two tombstones. One was smaller than the other, but then again, it had been for a baby.

He had promised Lily he would go home, but he felt the need to visit his family first. Tears stroked his eyes as they did every time he came to that place.

"I miss you, Halle," he cried. "I miss you so bad. Please look out for Lily and James. They need us more than ever."

With that, he broke down before her grave and sobbed.

.X.

"Was he not at his house?" James asked, seeing Lily apparate into the house. She shook her head no.

"He was at that bar, wasn't he?" James demanded. Lily nodded. "He's so irresponsible. I don't see when he'll ever grow up."

Lily placed a finger to James' lips.

"He's a lot more grown up than we'll ever know. He's our best friend. There are just some things he'll never get over."

The two of them fell asleep upon their couch, hands intertwined, prayers on Sirius, and dreams unnerved about the future.

A/N: Sorry if you thought that was short. I did the best I could about the length. Please review.


	13. Mood Swings

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A/N: Thanks for your encouraging reviews for last chapter. I haven't had much of a chance to update, and for that I apologize. The weekend is finally here, leaving the opportune moment to write. So, here is the new chapter. Just so you know, I may (not sure) put some foreshadowing in. It might not be this chapter, it might not be the next, but there will be some. I already have a plot forming in my devious little mind. An elaborate, scheming plot. Oh yes, can't wait to write it. For now, I must continue on where I am. So, please review. I'll love you for it.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 13-Mood Swings

As Lily walked around the site with Katy, her stomach quavered a bit. She had been getting these feelings often, due to the pregnancy, and hoped that she could just move on and do her job.

As Katy eyed the torn curtains, Lily did her best to concentrate on the clues. Another murder had occurred, this time on the McKinnon household, but the Death Eaters had stealthily left before the Aurors had arrived. Moody had put Lily, Katy, and Frank on the job. James was back at headquarters, naming off a list of suspects that could possibly have killed Marlene and her family.

The bodies had been removed and sent off to be examined. There were Healers on the site as well, checking for fingerprints and what-not. Lily tried breathing in slowly, in and out as the Maternity Healer had instructed, but she could barely fight off the nauseous feeling.

Lily looked around the well furnished home that was now dark and cold. She had made a couple of visits to the McKinnon home to alert them about attacks. She had read through the "Home Safety Guide," with them. Marlene and her husband had been nice enough. They had three children, two little girls and a nine year old son. The children had been killed in their sleep, the parents having put up some sort of fight.

Lily could only imagine how Marlene had felt, watching her family die off at the hands of several Death Eaters and possibly Voldemort. It was almost every witch or wizard's greatest fear.

Her eyes started to water, releasing the tears that had been struggling to come out. She saw a broken picture frame lying on the ground near her feet. The McKinnon family looked up at her, their faces lit up and their smiles wide and proud. She whimpered a little, imagining the fear that had pulsed through Marlene's veins as she had watched her husband struggle through the Cruciatus Curse before being killed by Avada Kedavra. The exams on the body had shown that Dark magic had been placed on Marlene before she was killed.

Lily could only imagine..

Before she knew what was happening, she was cowering on the floor, her hands covering her face and her knees collapsing on her. She heard Katy and Frank rush over to her. They tried to help her up, but she resisted.

"Lily honey," Katy soothingly said, hoping to calm her pregnant friend down.

"They all died," Lily cried. "All of them. Her entire life, her whole family came crashing down. She worked so hard on her life, she was strong and talented. Why does this happen?"

"Lily, you know why this happens. He's evil. He lacks compassion and the power to act humane. That's why we're here. We're trying to stop him," Katy said, explaining to her friend the basic principles they had learned in training.

"It's hormones," Frank muttered to Katy under his breath. "She's more susceptible to breaking down and becoming emotional than the average Auror."

He kept this low as he knew that Lily and James didn't want everyone to know they were expecting. Dumbledore had cautioned both the Potter's and the Longbottom's about revealing this information. So, they had only shared it with one another.

"We need to get her back to headquarters," Frank decided, lifting Lily off the ground and handing her over to Katy. Katy held onto her and Apparated into her office. She set Lily in a chair and looked over when Frank Apparated with a crack.

She saw James rushing down the hall, stumbling into the office nervously.

"Is she ok?" he asked anxiously, worry written all over his face.

"She's fine," Frank assured him. He closed the door, blocking the sound of their voices from the outside, and turned back to James. "She's just a bit emotional right now if you know what I mean."

"I feel so weak right now," Lily murmured quietly from the chair. James smiled and kneeled down beside her, kissing her palm and brushing the strands of red hair out of her eye.

"You're not weak," he said, holding her hand. "You're just pregnant. I suppose it would be hard to do your job when you're slightly more considerate than normal."

He knew immediately that he had said the wrong thing.

"More considerate than normal? Are you saying I'm not considerate?" she demanded, standing from her chair, wobbling a bit.

"Mood swings," Frank said quietly under his breath. James nodded and held onto Lily's arm, leading her out of the office.

"Let's go talk to Moody about some nice paperwork," he suggested.

Katy laughed and turned to Frank.

"I have a feeling that's mild compared to what we'll be receiving for the next seven or eight months," she chuckled.

"You have no idea," Frank said. "Alice has been a mess. Nearly everyday she falls apart at the hospital, sometimes from injuries as petty as bee stings. I can't even say good morning to her without her biting my head off."

"I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOUR GODDAMN PAPERWORK!" Lily's screaming voice could be heard. Frank and Katy stepped out of the office and saw Moody closing the door behind him. Through the clear walls they could see Lily still shouting and James rubbing his temples.

Everyone on that floor looked over to Frank and Katy for some sort of explanation.

"Lily's a little hung over today," Katy covered. Everyone resumed working and general "that explains a lot" comments could be heard.

"If this keeps up, people are going to take Lily for an alcoholic," Frank figured.

.X.

As they sat in Florean Fortesque's Ice-Cream Parlour, Lily, James, Alice, and Frank were talking quietly about their weeks. The couples had become good friends, having a lot in common. Lily and Alice were both pregnant, Frank, James, and Lily were all Aurors, Frank and James supported the same Quidditch team, and their children were both in danger of Lord Voldemort.

"I have the biggest headache," Alice complained.

"James, dear, can you read me the ice cream flavors?" Lily asked.

"Did you take come potion before we left?" Frank asked his wife.

"Vanilla, Chocolate, Banana, Strawberry," James listed off.

"Of course I took potion!" Alice snapped. "I am a Healer, what kind of fool do you take me as?"

"No, no, no. I meant read me the _good _flavors," Lily said testily.

"I didn't say you were a fool," Frank insisted calmly. "I was only wondering. I thought maybe the reason you had a headache was because you didn't take the potion."

"What are the good flavors?" James questioned. "Those are the good flavors."

"Maybe it's a migraine," Alice offered. "I took a potion for headaches, not migraines."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lily replied to her husband. "Those aren't the good flavors."

"I need to use the bathroom," both Frank and James said at the same time.

They left their hormonal wives at the table and left to head towards the bathroom. Instead of going in they stood outside the door and conversed.

"They're driving us mad," James put out in the open.

"She's the one giving me a headache," Frank complained. "I could use some of her blasted potion."

"I know they're supposed to be snappy, but vague? Could Lily be anymore vague?" James asked, muttering on about the good flavors.

"They're pregnant," Frank reminded not only James, but himself.

"True, true. Let's try this again," James said. He and Frank nodded and walked slowly back to their table.

"Have you made up your mind, baby?" James asked Lily. She was looking at the menu.

A waiter had been called over after Frank and James had left. He looked on the verge of tears. James could only imagine.

"What kind of flavor is Rocky Road anyways? It sounds so awful," Lily said, making a face.

While she said this, Alice was naming off the five scoops of ice cream she wanted on her cone.

"Vanilla, Cherry, Pumpkin, um, let's see, how about a scoop of Lima Bean? Oh, one more and then I'm done. Oh yes, can't forget Peppermint," Alice said, more cheerful than she had been before. Frank was counting the bills in his wallet, making sure he had enough to cover five scoops of ice cream excluding his own.

"I'll have a baby scoop of your cheapest ice cream," he mumbled.

"Do I want it in a cone or a dish?" Lily questioned herself.

"Lily, would you please just decide?" James asked, rather impatiently.

"Fine, I'll just have a lemon ice please. Small," she told the waiter. She turned to James. "I'm the pregnant one here. No need to be so moody."

Frank and James sighed as Lily and Alice began to compare traumatic morning sickness stories.

.X.

"My lord, there is a prophecy," the trembling figure of Peter Pettigrew told his master. He was standing in a cold, bare house, a snake circling at his feet. He sucked in a breath, trying not to look at it. His hands began to sweat.

"Tell me more, Wormtail," Voldemort insisted.

"Well, I don't know the specifics," Peter mumbled.

"Tell me!" he roared.

So, Peter Pettigrew revealed the information he knew. He thought he knew it all, but he didn't know that Lily and James hadn't divulged the entire prophecy to him.

.X.

"Does she look heavier to you?" a blonde woman asked her photographer from outside a famous ice cream shop.

"Heavy?" the camera man asked. He was stout and dark haired, pudgy and not well dressed. "She isn't heavy."

"Of course she's not heavy," the woman said, rolling her brown eyes. She was short, petite, and dressed in decent robes. A quill was at her hands and her blonde bob was neatly framing her face. "She's perfect. I just thought maybe slightly heavier."

"You're really fickle," the photographer noted. The woman smacked her bag over his head.

"I don't pay you to judge me," she reminded him. "I'm just thinking we should keep an eye out for her."

"Why are you so obsessed with the Potter's anyhow?" he asked his boss.

"Never you mind," she grumbled, walking away and marking down the names _Lily and James Potter_ upon her list.

****

A/N: Ok, so I did foreshadow. The woman at the end, sound familiar? Probably not. Well, she is. You'll know in good time. So, please review. Hope you enjoyed it.


	14. Snapshots

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A/N: Nope, it's not Rita Skeeter. As I mentioned before, it is a character from Lily and James: Their Story of Love who many of you have forgotten. I think I'll tie Rita in there somehow, but for now, this character will suit just fine. Nice guess though. I should have specified that it wasn't a character created by JKR. Thanks for the reviews. I have one last chance to update and I figured this one would be a good one to write for. So, do your thing and please review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 14-Snapshots

Months passed slowly, creeping up on James without any hesitation. Lily was now five months pregnant and starting to show. The two of them did the best they could to hide it, knowing someone out there (most likely Voldemort) had it in for their baby.

As James had predicted, Lily did glow during her months pregnant. She smiled often, enjoying the atmosphere as best as she could. She wasn't always like that though. More times than not she was an emotional roller coaster. One minute she'd be screaming at him over the pettiest of things and the next she would be sobbing, begging him not to divorce. He was very much confused by this. He had no plans of leaving her, but for some reason, that idea sat firmly in her hormonal mind.

Alastor Moody didn't make things much better. As promised, he stuck Lily in an office and had her fill out paperwork. She would write down all the information acquired by the hands on Aurors, making her feel weak and low. She missed going out on the field. It was her job, her calling. Paperwork in a stuffy office was not what she had in mind. James insisted it was for the best though.

"For the best," Lily muttered under her breath one particularly awful day. "He's one to talk. He's out there doing his job. Prancing around like he's on top of the world."

Without any warning at all, she burst into fully fledged tears. Moody, who had been walking by her office, stopped in, knocking nervously upon the door.

"Evans, is there something wrong?" he asked her in his low, gruff voice.

She shook her head, waving him off, but he turned around when she yelled, "It's Potter!"

"That's right," he recalled. "You did marry him. Have to remember that."

"You came to our wedding," she reminded him. "That was the last time we were attacked. That was the last time I saw one of my best friends. She lost her baby. Will I lose my baby?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes red and blotchy. She was making him extremely uncomfortable. He was not a person who normally handled emotional situations.

"Um, no," he insisted. "You won't. Should I call someone?"

"Call Alice," she responded immediately. "I miss her."

"Longbottom?" he clarified. She sniffled, which he took for a yes.

He stepped outside of her office and used the secretary's phone. As he did so, his back was turned and a suspicious looking stout man, followed by a short, petite blonde woman, walked past Lily's office. They stopped, the man took out his camera, and the woman smiled deviously. Without Lily's recognition, they took her picture.

.X.

"So you're saying that it could be the Potter child or the Longbottom child?" the cold, deceptive voice of Lord Voldemort questioned from before a blazing fire.

"T-T-That's what I'm saying," Wormtail stammered. His palms were sweating and his eyes were watering more than usual.

"How am I supposed to know?" he barked at his servant. "Is there any way of identifying?"

"No," Peter insisted. "There isn't. Even Professor Dumbledore doesn't know."

"Dumbledore," Voldemort hissed. "He was the one who heard this?"

"Yes," Peter responded. "He told Frank and Alice, and then Lily and James."

"Well," Voldemort concluded. "Whichever one has a boy. Whichever couple has a male child, I will strike upon them."

"What is they're both girls?" Peter asked. "What happens then?"

"Only time will tell," Voldemort said in a finalized tone.

.X.

"James, I need to get out of this house," Lily complained. "I'm going crazy."

They were sitting at their kitchen table, finishing off their dinner, and Lily was pleading to take a walk over to Frank and Alice's.

"You know it's dangerous," James said soothingly. "We need to stay here. Dumbledore said only to work and home."

"It's only around the block," Lily argued, her eyes sparkling over to his. He couldn't deny his wife this one opportunity. "He doesn't even know about the prophecy. He doesn't even know I'm pregnant."

"I don't want this to sound shallow, honey," James started. "But you can tell you're pregnant."

"I know," she sighed. "I'll wear a big, big rain coat. You should do the same so it'll look like we just don't know what size to buy."

"If you insist," James said, grabbing a large rain coat out of their closet.

So, as they walked down the street, light raindrops pouring down on them, Lily looked happy. James was actually proud that he had taken the two of them out of the house. It wasn't healthy to be cooped up all the time.

"I'm scared," Lily said, holding onto his hand as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Of what?" James asked, looking around to see if someone was following them.

"Having a baby," Lily said softly. "Becoming a mum."

He tilted his head and smiled at her. "You'll be a wonderful mum. You've put up with me for about a year and a half. I imagine you can take care of a little me."

She smiled as they knocked on Frank and Alice's door. Alice opened it, holding a large boot in one hand.

"Come on in," she said cheerfully. "Frank, we have company."

"So you're not going to throw that at me?" he asked hesitantly. He eyed the boot in her hand.

"Guess not," Alice decided, putting it down. "Frank called me fat."

Lily snapped her head over in Frank's direction, appalled.

"I did not," Frank swore. "She asked me to make her banana split and I told her that it probably wasn't healthy for the baby. I didn't say anything about her being fat."

"It was your tone," Alice explained, making her own banana split. "Anyways, banana splits make the world go round. They have to be healthy for a baby. Want one Lily?"

"Of course," Lily said, smiling. "I'm starved."

"We just ate dinner," James reminded her, almost in awe.

"I am eating for two," Lily reminded him. "Anyways, today was a long day. I had five hours of paperwork to do. That Moody is so stubborn."

"He's the stubborn one," James muttered to Frank.

.X.

"Thanks for taking me out, Sirius," Lily said again as they sat in an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant.

"It's the last I can do," Sirius told her. "You and James feed me about twice a week. I can't believe he has to work late today. Moody's working him hard now that you can't go out on the field."

The two of them had mounds of empty plates surrounding them. They had been eating for about two hours. The waiters were beginning to stare.

"I have to hand it to you, Lily," Sirius said, impressed. "You can keep up with me."

Another snapshot was taken as Lily started digging into a chicken leg.

.X.

"Something's going on," Fawn Daniels decided, looking at the pictures and trying to put the pieces together. "Is she cheating on him? This is that Sirius Black eating with her."

"You think she's cheating on him?" the photographer clarified.

"I don't know," Fawn moaned miserably. "I wish this all made sense. She doesn't seem like the cheating type."

"She might be pregnant," the camera man said in a slow, enunciated voice.

"Pregnant," Fawn mused. "I am a genius. That has to be it."

"And she's the reporter?" the man grumbled under his voice.

.X.

Lily and James had been sitting on their porch, enjoying the surprisingly nice March weather. They heard it first; the low grumbling engine approaching fast.

A motorcycle pulled up, James' best friend stepping off of it with a huge grin.

"Used most of my inheritance to buy this little baby," he said proudly, setting his helmet on the seat. Lily's face looked shocked and disapproving.

"Sirius Black, please tell me that is refundable," Lily said, stepping off of the porch.

"Nope," he said, even more happy with himself. "It's a beauty though."

"Wow," James said in awe. "It's so shiny."

He went to touch it, but Lily smacked his hand away.

"Do you know how dangerous those are?" she asked him.

"A lot?" Sirius guessed. "Just came back from Moony's. Took him and Katy for a little joyride. It flies so well."

"It flies?" James asked, simply ecstatic. "Take me, Padfoot. Take me!"

"Actually, I'm running a little tight on time," he said, seeing Lily's face contort into hormonal pregnant rage. "I just stopped by to have you look at this."

He whispered in James' ear, "When she's at work, we'll go."

Lily took the newspaper that Sirius had pulled out and gasped as she read the first page.

****

THE NEW ADDITION TO THE POTTER HOUSEHOLD

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Written by Fawn Daniels, special correspondent.

It seems as if not everyone is completely honest with one another in our community. The famous Lily and James Potter have so sneakily neglected to inform wizards and witches of Lily's pregnancy. (See pictures below.)

Not only is she pregnant, but one can't be sure who the father is. As seen below, she is eating dinner with James Potter's best friend, Sirius Black. Whether these two have been cavorting around without Potter's knowledge remains to be revealed.

Lily and James are best known for their three escaped from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Tragedy has followed them day in and day out for the past two years. What lies in the future remains to be seen.

The pictures at the bottom included a sobbing Lily at her desk, Lily walking down the street in a very large rain coat, Lily eating chicken with Sirius, and many other small pictures to which didn't show Lily in a positive light.

"How did she do this?" Lily asked, staring incredulously at the paper.

"Better yet, how do you know her?" James questioned, looking at the name over and over again. "Fawn Daniels? It sounds so familiar."

"Indeed it does," Lily whispered.

****

A/N: Please review. Sorry it's short. I updated quick though!


	15. Enough

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A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I love you all so much. I apologize about the wait. I have been very busy. Please forgive me. Now, to answer some questions:

1) It's been two years. So, Fawn would be 17. That means she would be in Hogwarts. I do understand this, but I have reasoning. This reasoning will come out soon enough.

2) There is a reason she is like Rita.

3) If you forgot who she was, she was mentioned in Chapter 25, Chapter 25, and Chapter 27 of L/J: Their Story of Love. I believe she was mentioned in 34 as well. I'll do a little recap in a little while.

PLEASE REVIEW! I'll love you for it.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 15-Enough

Several articles appeared about Lily, James, and Sirius is the next couple of weeks. Wherever they were remnants of Fawn Daniels' ludicrous articles cornered them. Whether it be a scrap of the newspaper or a dirty look from a random passerby, there was no avoiding it.

One week at work, someone saw Sirius enter Lily's office and the entire secretarial staff stopped what they were doing to eavesdrop. They would stare mournfully after James, feeling sympathy towards him. "His pregnant wife was cheating on him with his best friend, must be awful on the poor dear," they would whisper.

When Lily sat down at her desk, already in a bad mood from the ever-expanding pile of paperwork that was piled in a folder, she glanced quickly at the headline for that day's newspaper.

Sure enough, screams could be heard blaring from inside her office.

.X.

"That wench wrote that I am trying to kill our baby!" Lily screamed at James, throwing the paper down on his desk. He was studying a map that had speculations of Voldemort's next target. Currently, he wasn't striking hardly anywhere. The Aurors were clueless as to his next move.

James looked up at his five and half months pregnant wife, her eyes flashing and her mouth thinned. He carefully picked up the paper and saw a picture of Lily holding a cup of coffee. There was another photo of her receiving pills from a paper bag and taking them before eating. James could only anticipate what the article said.

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LILY POTTER'S RELIEVING HER BURDEN

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Written by Fawn Daniels, special correspondent.

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Since the recent exposure of her pregnancy, Lily Potter seems to have gone a bit over the edge. Either the stress of expecting or the pressure put on by her husband, she has found a new way of release. She's not dangerous, at least not to anyone aside from her unborn child.

__

Recently she has been seen in several situations that could be considered harmful to the new Potter child. As seen above, coffee is a legal drug, one of which many of us consume in. For pregnant women, side affects could increase by the increased caffeine in the mother's diet. Is this just a coincidence or is she really willing to sacrifice her family for her not-so-secret affair with Sirius Black?

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We have it here, on print, in picture, living proof of our assumptions. Mrs. Potter was seen taking mysterious pills before ingesting her food. Could these pills be hazardous to her baby? We're almost certain they are.

If only James Potter knew of what his wife was up to..

James looked up at his wife incredulously. One girl could do so much damage, it was amazing at the results. While James was reading the article, Lily had sat down at a chair and let the tears fall.

"I'm doomed to be an awful mother," she wept, bringing her hands to her face in effort to stop the drops from falling.

"Lily Potter, you are my wife, mother of my child, one of the only people I can trust completely. You're strong, beautiful, devoted, talented. You are not going to let some broad named Fawn Daniels tell you otherwise," James told her sternly, making her giggle slightly.

"No one is going to believe that," she moaned, putting her head on his shoulders as he kneeled down before her. "They all think I'm popping pills and sucking up as much caffeine as possible in order to kill my baby. Worst of all, poor Sirius is going to be getting so many death threats from readers. They all think we're having an affair."

"You're not?" James teased, acting surprised. She slapped his shoulder lightly.

"I was only holding Katy's coffee. I don't even drink it. I think it's completely awful. And those pills? We both know they're prenatal vitamins. No one else will know that though," she said sadly.

With a crack, Katy Apparated into the office, standing right next to James. She looked down on them, over at the paper, and rolled her eyes.

"I could kill that little bi-" she started before Sirius trudged into the office next to them, pushing her accidentally.

"This bird has screwed up my life more than I can possibly describe," he told his friends. "I just got a howler when I was drinking a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks. Everyone looked at me funny after I walked out. Worst of all, three little kids tripped me and I scraped my elbow on the street."

"You let three kids trip you?" James asked, appalled.

"They were huge, I tell you," Sirius insisted. "Like a huge, walking Giant Squid. They only had six arms though."

Lily laughed, glad that James and Sirius could brighten her already unfortunate looking day. With as much effort as possible, she lifted herself from her chair, picked up the newspaper, threw it in the garbage and lit it on fire.

A girl could only get so much satisfaction from that..

.X.

"They're just sitting there," Fawn complained in a harsh whisper. She was standing outside of the Potter home and was peering in through the window. Her dutiful camera man was beside her, staring blankly at his shoes and contemplating whether to tie his laces or not.

Her cousin, Rita, had come along for this trip, claiming Fawn was an ideal mentor. Fawn's other cousin, Annabelle (Rita's other sister), was far too busy to show Rita the ropes and had pawned her off on Fawn. So, here Fawn was with an overweight camera man, a hole in the knee of her fishnet stockings, and a fifteen year old girl following her around.

"Why are you so obsessed with the Potter's anyhow?" Rita whined. Her blonde curls were in pigtails and her obnoxious gum chewing was giving Fawn a headache.

"They're my story," Fawn hissed. "People like to read about them. Therefore, I get money and become more successful. It's part of my trade."

"He's pretty good looking," Rita mused, her gum clacking as she blew another bubble. "I suppose that has absolutely nothing to do with it?"

The camera man chuckled at the statement, but shut up when Fawn hit him on the head with her purse.

"Shut up, fool," she ordered, turning back to the bush they were hiding in. "Oh, look, she's eating cookies. Hurry, take a picture."

"Cookies?" Rita asked. "You're going to write a story about her eating cookies? That is lame."

"Lame?" Fawn repeated. "You say it's lame? Just sit down and shut up! I'm the journalist here. You need to learn from the best. The only way to get your story is to use proof. Everyone likes proof. Otherwise, it's just slander. Now, these cookies could be pivotal to my next story. Who knows?"

"Actually, I doubt it," Rita said. "She finished the cookies."

"You didn't take the shot?" she screamed at her camera man. He shook his head. Another whack was received from Fawn.

"I can't work like this," she mumbled, rubbing her temples.

.X.

"Scarlet woman," a witch muttered as she walked past Lily on her way out of Flourish and Blotts.

Lily's cheeks blazed red and James' arm tightened it's grip around her shoulders reassuringly.

"I could kill Fawn Daniels," she decided, sitting down at a table inside the bookstore. James sat down across from her, nodding his head.

"Another story, another woman who hates me," Lily said. "I just wish I could catch her in the act. I don't remember at her at all. It's her name. I just can't remember her name."

"This sounds familiar," James observed quietly. "Like Venus Adams."

"Yet, Fawn's not trying to kill us. She's just degrading my name in society," Lily sighed. She spotted Katy and Alice by the maternity books. She smiled.

"Katy! Alice!" she shouted from across the store. Several heads turned to see who was yelling, but many resumed reading their books. The women that looked all said the same thing, "Poor James Potter."

Katy glared at them all, making her way over to Lily with Alice waddling behind her.

"Things have gotten worst," Alice noted, seeing the angry glances from the customers of the book stores. "If it was me I'd scream at every single one of them."

"I bet you would," James agreed, laughing at little Alice Longbottom whose belly was no longer little.

"What are you two doing here?" Lily asked, letting them sit down.

"Well, Alice wanted to get a book that recorded all the stages of pregnancy, but Frank was working. So, she called me. We've been looking for the right one," Katy said.

"I want to know if I'm supposed to look like a circus tent with a head popping out of it," she grumbled, looking down at her large protruding stomach.

Lily smiled, knowing that Alice was the only one who almost knew how she felt. They were in it together. She was glad she didn't have to do it alone.

"That awful Daniels woman isn't still writing things about you, is she?" Katy asked.

Lily nodded wearily.

"If only there was something we could do about it," James said, folding his hands together and looking around for some sign of that crazy writer and her photographer.

Katy's blue eyes brightened at the prospect of a plan.

"I think I have an idea," she informed them.

.X.

The house was silent and Lily stood by the door, waiting for that familiar sound of a motorcycle engine to turn up. The lights were off and the blinds were closed. Her wand was carelessly in her back pocket, despite all the buttock warnings from Mad Eye Moody.

She smiled as she heard the sound of the motorcycle drift from the sky and into her driveway. She opened the door and smiled. She walked out, her feet bare, and greeted him with a grin.

She did her best to hug him warmly, although her eyes were scanning the proximity closely.

He leaned it, as if to kiss her, but instead whispered in her ear.

"Be patient," he had said. With that small gesture, the sound of a clicking camera could be heard and Lily could have screamed. She heard someone stumble out of the bushes.

"Gotcha," James said. Lily turned to see ropes tied around a small, petite blonde with defeated brown eyes. Katy had stunned the camera man, who had been hidden behind a tree.

Sirius let out a maniacal laugh.

"Nice to meet you, Fawn Daniels," Lily hoarsely said, her eyes intently focused on Fawn's.

****

A/N: Sorry to leave it at a sort of cliffhanger. I will try and post this weekend. If not, I am sorry. Thanks and please review.


	16. Fawn Daniels

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A/N: Sorry for the wait guys, but I've been busy. Ah! You all know how this time of the year is, what with exams and review and everything. You're lucky I can post tonight (taking a day off tomorrow). So, this is the chapter you've been waiting for. Please review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 16- Fawn Daniels

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Recap

"Gotcha," James said. Lily turned to see ropes tied around a small, petite blonde with defeated brown eyes. Katy had stunned the camera man, who had been hidden behind a tree.

Sirius let out a maniacal laugh.

"Nice to meet you, Fawn Daniels," Lily hoarsely said, her eyes intently focused on Fawn's.

"Lily Potter," Fawn said grittily. "Clever, clever. I should have known you'd pull something like this. I must have lessened your abilities, seeing as you're pregnant and all."

Sirius eyed Lily's wand, watching her as she was ready to strike, but grasped onto it quickly.

"Not yet," he insisted. "Don't you want to know the truth?"

Lily nodded, grinding her teeth together angrily. James had cast a spell that didn't allow Fawn to Disapparate.

Katy came out from stunning the camera man and joined her friends. She gazed at Fawn in disgust.

"You filthy, no good, piece of shi-" Katy started to say before Fawn spat on her.

Lily gasped, knowing how this would trigger Katy off.

"I didn't take it from Venus Adams and I won't take it from you," Katy yelled, pointing her wand at Fawn's throat. "Why are you ruining poor Lily and James' lives?"

"Don't forget mine," Sirius piped in.

During all this commotion, James had been standing in front of Fawn, his eyes carefully studying her. She seemed familiar, as if he knew her. He wondered briefly if maybe she had been a Death Eater. It didn't seem likely.

"I feel that the public has a right to know when it's being deceived," Fawn told them snobbishly.

"Aware of what? I have personal problems within my family that prevented us from sharing our news with the entire community. I am not having an affair, I don't plan on killing my child, and James and I are perfectly happy in our marriage," Lily retorted. "The only thing I was hiding was my pregnancy, which I did so for a reason."

"I've watched you, _Evans._ I've watched you for quite some time. It didn't seem fair to me that you were allowed to enjoy all the aspects that life has to offer. I hated being near you, around you, in the same community. I never got one moment's glory with Lily Evans strutting around and pushing me in the shadows. Never," Fawn told Lily.

"You called me Evans," Lily told her. "Only Moody calls me Evans because he won't not." **(A/N: One guess where that line's from.)**

"Only people from Hogwarts know you as that," Katy said. "Everyone else calls you Potter."

"She went to school with us, Lily," James said quietly. Fawn's neck snapped in James' direction, her eyes growing somewhat softer. "Fawn Daniels was in fifth year when we were in seventh. She was the Ravenclaw I took to the Yule Ball."

A glint of recognition sparked in Lily's eyes, the memories flooding back to her. James had left Fawn to be with Lily, something Lily had never really thought about until that moment.

"Shouldn't you still be in school?" Sirius inquired, speaking directly to Fawn.

"I wasn't getting any limelight there even without dear Lily gone," Fawn said maliciously. "The entire school was buzzing with news of the Potters and the Blacks. Even Katy Jones and Remus Lupin had more attention than I did. I figured that the only way I could get the satisfaction I craved was by bringing the Potter dream team down. So, I dropped out in order to become the wizarding communities best on-the-spot journalist. It seems Lily's not the only one with the infamous reputation. I too have been called out for various job as of last week's issue."

"You're jealous," Katy whispered. "You're just a jealous, pain in the ass, conceited girl. You don't know anything about what these two have had to go through. What we all have had to go through."

"I may not," Fawn confessed. "But I do know that as long as I have the license to write, there is nothing you can do to stop me."

"You claim to be some evil genius," Sirius observed. "But in case you haven't noticed, you're tied to a tree and we all have our wands."

"Why'd you have to go after my wife? Why Lily? I know you said she gets a lot of attention, but that can't be it. Katy and Halle got a lot of attention while they were in school as well. Yet, you only write about Lily. Why?" James asked.

"She took you away from me, James. We were destined. It was in the stars. Our signs matched! I thought that for a moment, my life was going to turn around. I was going out with James Potter, head boy and most infamous Marauder."

"Hey!" Sirius protested.

"Then, once things were going to finally start getting good, she takes you away. She came back and you forgave her. I never did, James. I never thought she was good enough for you. She may have been perfect, but you two just didn't mold. It wasn't in your destiny. I was in your destiny," Fawn said, her brown eyes gleaming with angry tears. "She doesn't deserve someone as selfless and humane as you. She doesn't know what it's like to feel pain."

Katy laughed at this out of sheer disbelief. "Lily doesn't know about pain? If you're so devoted, haven't you noticed how much hell Lily and James went through during their seventh year?"

"Physical pain is nothing compared to the never ending agony I felt. I watched as Lily repeatedly broke your heart, James. Yet, you never let go. You always took her back. You married her, for Merlin's sake! Even after all she did, you married her. She's pregnant now. She has a little Potter inside of her, something I always dreamed about," Fawn said, eyeing Lily's pregnant stomach enviously.

"Can anyone say restraining order?" Sirius asked. "You're psycho. I'm serious, no pun intended. If you're looking for someone, I suggest you take your mind off of James and head down to St. Mungos. There's a fabulous lunatic of the name Cole Jacobs there. He was obsessed with Lily, you're obsessed with James. It's a match made in psychopathic heaven."

Lily had been standing silent for quite some time, letting tears form in the corners of her eye as she heard all these things. James had looked to his feet in embarrassment, wishing it was all done and over with. He just wanted Fawn to leave them alone.

"Now, I don't know about daily therapy, but you should definitely consider weekly," Sirius said. "I am sure there is someone out there who can explain all of this to you. I sure as hell can't."

Lily walked towards Fawn, her face inches from hers.

"I love James," Lily told her quietly. "He is my husband, the only man I have ever really seen myself with. You may not understand that the way we do, but you should know this. I'm not giving him up. He is mine. I want you to stop writing articles about us, go back to school, and forget you ever met anyone of the name James or Lily Potter. If not, we will take you to court at the Wizengamot for harassment."

There was a silence as Fawn took in what Lily was saying.

"I may hate you," she said slowly. "But I do respect you."

"Then follow my wishes," Lily told her. "Leave town. Do whatever you need to do to forget. We'll do the same."

The last of Fawn Daniels was seen that very night as she whacked her photographer on the head one last time and Disapparated to somewhere they couldn't tell you about.

.X.

"Our poor friends," Katy said as she hopped into bed that night. Remus lay up, reading a research book on werewolves. He was looking for some sort of potion that could somehow alter the transformations. "They go through so much. It's amazing they're still together."

"It's amazing they ever got together," Remus chuckled. "For awhile, me, Sirius, and Peter thought it was hopeless."

"As did Halle and I," Katy reminisced. "I do hope that Fawn Daniels is the last of the bunch to reappear in their lives."

"I wouldn't count on it," Remus said. "Lily and James have made countless enemies over the years. It's an odd thing as they're two of the nicest people I know."

"I know," Katy said. "Now Dumbledore's speaking of another spy. One who may be leaking information on the order. It's all too odd. I know that it couldn't be any of our friends, seeing as you described them so well. They're all too nice for that kind of thing."

"We never know," Remus answered quietly. "You keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. It could very well be one of our friends. Members of the Order are dying off like flies, leaving the suspects even more out in the open."

"If only I knew who it is," Katy muttered.

.X.

James had just got out of the shower and was ready for bed when he heard Lily crying in their bedroom. He opened the door and saw her crumpled up by the pillow, her face bent down into it, her hair sprawled all over the place.

"Lily honey, what's wrong?" he asked her, taking her hand into his.

"Nothing," she lied. "Nothing at all. It's just hormones."

"Are you sure?" he asked, knowing all too well that this had nothing to do with hormones. "I mean, we had a big day. It wouldn't be shocking if you were upset."

Lily nodded, sitting quietly in his arms for a few moments.

"I haven't been a very good wife," she admitted into his chest.

He lifted her head up and looked at her oddly. "What do you mean? You've been the best wife I could ever ask for."

"Fawn was right," Lily said to him. "I don't deserve you."

"Why not?" James asked. "If anything, it should be the other way around."

"I've treated you so horribly in the past years of our lives. I pushed you around, broke up with you, got you into horrible situations. I don't deserve to be pregnant with your baby," Lily said, her eyes flowing with more tears.

"This is what she wants," James told his wife. "She wants you to feel like this. How would she know this anyways? She doesn't know either one of us very well. She couldn't possibly know how our marriage is."

Lily shrugged.

"You're amazing, Lily. I married you because I love you. Neither one of us is perfect, but that's why we're perfect for one another. Don't you see? We have something she doesn't. She's bitter. We have a family and friends. I have you and that's more than I could ever ask for."

"Now I know why I married you," she whispered. "Because you always know how to make things better."

She leaned in and kissed her husband, thankful that she was Lily Potter.

****

A/N: Please review. There was a bit of foreshadowing..


	17. Woes of an Auror

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A/N: I apologize for the long wait. I have exams right now, but they're almost over. Soon I'll have more time to write. So, look forward to that. I want to finish this story soon. I don't know if I can or not, but I'll try. So, please review. I'll love you for it.

Catch My Fall

****

Chapter 17-Woes of an Auror

"My back is killing me," a very large Alice Longbottom complained. She was seven months along, as was Lily. The two of them were walking, just as the Healer had advised. Katy was there as well, mainly for supervision as the two woman were far too hormonal to be left alone.

"Your back?" Lily asked. "My feet are swollen."

"At least you can see your feet," Alice grumbled.

Katy couldn't help but laugh at the two women. She loved them both, was happy that they were pregnant, but found it entirely amusing. She wasn't so sure about marriage and a baby yet, so it was nice to see the other side of things from her friends.

"Is Frank working late tonight?" Lily asked, turning to Alice.

"No," Alice answered. "We're supposed to go to his mum's house tonight. Lord, save me. That woman is like a human vulture. She Apparates over to our house at least twice a day. It's always the same thing. 'Alice dear, are you alright?' or 'Is it good for you to be answering owls from the hospital while you're pregnant? Think of the baby'. I am thinking of the baby. I'm thinking I want it out of me."

"I know what you mean," Lily agreed. "I just want to be skinny again." She shot a look over at Katy. "You're so lucky."

Katy coughed nervously, not wanting to touch on the body image issue at the moment. Pregnant hormonal women and body image just did not work well together. "Where are we off to today, ladies?"

"I was thinking we could stop at Honeydukes," Lily suggested. "Maybe restock the chocolate stash."

"Chocolate?" Alice pondered. "I haven't really been craving chocolate. More like Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Those are to die for."

"That's odd," Katy said. "Last Christmas I sent you a huge bag of those and you ended up throwing them out."

"I know!" Alice said. "I used to hate them. Now they're all I eat."

Katy smiled and was happy for the day off. She would be able to spend time with her friends, do a bit of research on the new project she was starting, and then spend some time with Remus. It seemed like a fairly promising day.

.X.

"Ten more minutes, ten more minutes," Frank chanted, staring at the clock.

"Lucky you," James sighed. "I have a load of paperwork to do since Lily went on maternity leave. Moody is making me stay until midnight."

"Nine more minutes," Frank reported. "Alice and I have to eat dinner at my mum's. Should be great."

"Why did I note a hint of sarcasm in your voice just then?" James inquired, looking up from his stack of papers.

"I just don't understand why my mum has to be so incessant. I love her, but I have no idea how it doesn't get to Alice," Frank said. "I mean, she's pregnant and she likes my mum better than me. You can barely keep the two of them apart."

James laughed, recalling Alice's rant earlier that week about Mrs. Longbottom being an annoying twit. Obviously, Frank didn't know that.

"Six minutes, thirty seconds," Frank said, smiling and glaring at the timepiece. He was so intrigued by the clock that he barely noticed Moody running down the hall of the office.

He did, however, notice when the alarm sound. His eyes averted over to Moody in recognition.

"Longbottom, Potter," Moody panted from the hall. "We have an attack."

"On who?" James asked, rising from his seat and grabbing his wand. Frank had done the same.

Moody's eyes cast to the floor when he heard the question. "Well, we don't exactly know. We only know that it was two women and they were both pregnant."

James and Frank looked at one another with panic.

"Was it You-Know-Who?" Frank asked quietly.

"We think so," Moody informed the two men. "Right outside of Diagon Alley."

The three men Apparated quickly. James, Frank, and Moody arrived at the end of the alley, seeing Ministry officials surrounding the scene. James noticed that police men (the muggle law enforcers) were there as well. His feet wouldn't move. He saw the bodies, sheets covering them. A bump protruded around the mid region of both women. They looked about five or six months pregnant.

"I can't," James whispered. "I just can't look."

"Me neither," Frank said to Moody, his voice shaking. "You go."

Moody nodded, limping to the scene. He spoke with the police men briefly, then the Minister. He nodded his head. About ten minutes later, he wobbled over to Frank and James.

Before he could say anything, James saw a strand of long, blonde hair fall down from one of the women. His heart raised in joy and confusion. It wasn't Lily or Alice.

"Two Muggle woman were attacked this afternoon by Death Eaters," Moody told them. "It seems as though Voldemort was targeting your wives, but they attacked the wrong people. You both can go home."

Frank and James nodded, walking down the alley a bit farther.

"Is it wrong to feel happy right now?" James asked Frank.

"I don't know," Frank replied. "But I am. I am so damn happy it wasn't Alice."

James nodded, knowing exactly how Frank felt. The two of them nodded at one another and then Apparated home.

.X.

Remus walked in the door of his flat and smiled. Katy was home, he could smell her perfume. The two of them rarely had nights alone together. Soon, sometime soon, he wanted to talk about the next step. Maybe marriage. He didn't want to rush anything, but he wanted to see how she felt about it.

The light in the kitchen was on and he saw her bent over books upon books. She was highlighting excerpts vigorously and her blonde head was bobbing as she read.

He nuzzled his face into her neck and she smiled.

"Hi," she said quietly. He smiled.

"What are you working on?" Remus asked, trying to see what was inside the book. As far as he could tell, they were books of newspapers and Azkaban prisoner records. "I thought you said you weren't going to do any work today."

Katy frowned and closed the books quickly, setting them into a backpack she had resting on the back of her chair.

"Well, I'm done now," she said, eventually changing the subject.

Remus couldn't help but wonder why she was keeping secrets from him.

.X.

"Lily!" James called as he Apparated into their house. "Lily!"

He looked around and saw nothing. The house was it's usual self, nothing out of place. He wondered if the protection instilled by his father was enough to keep Voldemort out. Silence throughout the rooms made him panic. Voldemort had missed her earlier, but had he come back out of pure frustration?

__

What if he's taken her? What if she's hurt? What if she's dead?

The thoughts were jumbling through his brain as his feet carried him from room to room. His heart was racing, the beat throbbing through his brain.

Then, once he reached their bedroom, he was afraid of what he'd find.

__

Maybe Voldemort's right in there, waiting for me.

He gripped his wand and opened the door. Sure enough, he did find something. Yet, this something calmed him down. His wife was asleep, in their bed, alive.

****

A/N: That chapter is mainly there to do a bit of foreshadowing and to express James' love for Lily and the worries that Aurors go through daily. Please review. I am sorry if that was too short.


	18. Missing Old Times

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A/N: See? I am updating quickly. Thank you for all your reviews. I loved them all. I am also glad you liked it. Now that I only have two stories to work on, both should come along rather well. I'll have more time and concentration to devote to them. I also have a new one-shot up entitled, "You Don't Have To Let Go". Its Hermione/Draco which is something new for me. Check it out. Plus, leave a review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 18-Missing Old Times

"Jones," Mad Eye Moody barked from the hallway. He peered his head in through the doorway to see the petite blonde napping her head on her desk. "Jones!" he repeated a bit more vigorously. Her head snapped up, her one hand clenched on a quill, the other on her wand.

She shook her head, her vision a bit blurred still, but groaned as she saw her boss.

"What do you want?" she asked, standing up to hand him a pile of paperwork.

"I had the information you wanted," Moody said, lowering his voice and handing over several large files. "It would just be very kind of you to say, 'Thank you, Moody. I have always thought you were the greatest boss. Now, I am going to tell you why I wanted this confidential paperwork.'"

"Wouldn't you like that?" Katy teased. "No, I can't tell anyone what's going on. It's too risky. Plus, if the information somehow got leaked to Lily or Alice, who knows what could happen?"

"That hormonal?" Moody asked.

"You have no idea," Katy assured him. "Lily has always had a bit of a temper on her, but poor James. He's like her little scapegoat, I think. Look in his office, he's on the verge of tears."

"An Auror crying?" Moody asked. "We can't have that. Go talk to him and tell him to shape up."

Katy laughed, tucked away the information she had and slipped out of her office.

She found James, napping as well. As she knocked on the door, his head sprang up and he said, "Lily?"

"No," she answered. He let out a breath of relief. "I take it things haven't been so pleasant at home?"

"Not that," James insisted. "She's just been so up and down. One minute she's happy and glowing, the next she's ready to bite my head off. The mood swings are unbearable. I guess Alice is even worst. She's been trying to set up a nursery with Frank, but Frank won't let her near any of the tools. He's afraid that she'll get mad at him and do something she'll regret."

Katy laughed. She wished she could flat out tell James and Lily what she was up to, but it'd be better if they knew nothing of it.

"Have you tried taking her out somewhere romantic?" Katy offered.

"You think that would work?" James asked. She nodded. "I just might do that. I don't have the night off though."

"Sure you do," Katy said. "I believe that just now the hours have shifted for a Miss Katy Jones. Apparently, she'll be working tonight while you'll be wining and dining with your pregnant mood-swinging wife."

"Thanks, Jones," James said, smiling as he ran out the door. "You're the best," he called.

She sighed. Sometimes she wished she wasn't so generous. She barely had time for her own life. Yet, if Lily and James were happy, then so was she.

.X.

"Lily, get dressed," James said as he scooped his rather pregnant wife up and twirled her around.

"What's gotten into you?" Lily asked once she was set back on the ground.

"I got the night off," he informed her. "We're going out on the town."

"What?" she inquired with disbelief. "We never do that."

"I know," he said. "That's why we're going to."

Lily smiled, laughing as James danced around their living room, humming something or another about love.

.X.

"Dancing?" Lily asked as the two of them walked into a large, castle like building that had a huge ballroom with sounds of salsa music protruding from it. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"We've never gone salsa dancing," James exclaimed. "It will be fun."

"If you say so," Lily said cautiously as James led her out onto the dance floor. James smiled as he saw how lovely his wife looked. She had her hair up into a tight knot and her maroon maternity dress was very pretty. It was almost like they were two teenagers courting one another again.

They started dancing, but after about ten minutes, Lily stopped dead in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" James asked, holding her hand. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head, clamped her hand to her mouth, and made a run for the ladies room. Apparently, a seven and a half months pregnant Lily and salsa dancing didn't correspond well.

When she returned, she gave her husband a weak smile. The music had changed to something slow and soothing.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know you wanted to have fun."

"Come here," he said softly. Before she went into his arms, Lily took off her heels. James took them as he wrapped her into his arms and started slowly dancing with her. He had to face it, now that they were going to have a baby, things just weren't going to be the same.

.X.

"That little stint a two weeks ago was disgraceful," a very manipulative and powerful voice rang throughout a darkened room. "Pettigrew! You were the one who gave that information. You said that they'd be shopping near Diagon Alley! Crucio!"

Peter's knees gave way and pain like he'd never felt before soared throughout his body. His head was ringing with laughter, and he could barely move. Before he blacked out, Voldemort removed the curse.

"T-They were shopping in D-D-Diagon Alley, master," Peter stammered, wiping tears from his pale eyes. "You just killed the wr-wro-wrong women."

"Now, we must make sure this doesn't happen again," Voldemort sneered. "Dumbledore's bound to be on alert, as well as the Ministry. They're most likely going to try and put protection on the house. It's your job to find out how."

Peter nodded and cried, "Yes master."

"If you mess up again, Wormtail, it's your life that will be on the line," Voldemort insisted, the sound of his voice sending chills up Peter's spine.

Peter felt a wand pointed at the back of his temple. Lucius Malfoy nodded at his master and whispered, "Get out of our sight."

.X.

"Now this is more like it," Lily said, smiling joyfully as she and James walked into Honeydukes sweetshop.

"How did I knew we'd end up here?" he teased as she darted towards the Chocolate Frogs.

"I love you," she said as they stood in line for their purchase.

"And I love you," he said nuzzling her nose. Then again, things might just be even better once they had their baby. James knew it would take a lot to burn out their love.

.X.

As Katy stepped into the apartment, a yawn protruded from her mouth. She quickly stifled it and took off her shoes. She had the report from the murder of the two pregnant Muggle women in her briefcase and was going to go through reading it. She had so much work to do, she hardly slept at all anymore.

To her surprise, the kitchen light was on. Remus was normally asleep by this hour, so it was very strange. As she walked in, the sight before her eyes angered and panicked her at the same time.

"What are you doing?" she asked, seeing him reading a file.

"Better question, what are you doing?" he retorted. He held up a file with his picture on it. "Researching, you say. Researching what? My history? Why do you have a file on me? And Sirius? And Peter? And Fawn Daniels? And Cole Jacobs? And Venus Adams? And the rest of the people in this pile that I haven't gone through."

"I can't tell you," she said. "Why were you going through it anyways?"

"I miss you, Katy," he shouted. "I miss you. Is that so hard for you to comprehend?"

"What do you mean you miss me?" she asked. "This is the only night I've worked late in the past two months. I see you everyday."

"I miss the old you," he said, his voice lowering. "The old Katy Jones. The Katy that wouldn't be so distant and work crazy. The Katy that was spontaneous and enjoyed spending time with me. What happened? Why are you resorting to researching people in your spare time?"

"I told you," Katy said exasperated. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?" he pleaded. "I thought we could tell each other everything. We used to have trust. We used to be able to talk about work. We used to go do things in our spare time."

"I don't trust you, Remus," she whispered before turning on her heel and going to bed.

****

A/N: Please review.


	19. Katy’s Secret

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A/N: Everyone is begging me for good, happy times. I think you all must know this: Catch My Fall is much darker than it's prequel. These are both happy and horrible moments in the characters lives. I have a lot planned. Don't worry about that. I'm not sure how long this story will be. It will be decent length. Not 60 chapters though! I want to finish it before the summer's over. I think I will too. So, whatever happens in the story, try and remember that JKR had this time period as one of the most torn moments in wizarding history. Please review.

Catch My Fall

****

Chapter 19-Katy's Secret

Remus stood on a dark porch that night, clutching onto a box full of possessions. After hearing his friend's knock, Sirius opened the door to his flat and welcomed Remus inside.

"Moony," Sirius said groggily, making a cup of coffee for the both of them. "Why aren't you at home?"

"Troubles," Remus answered vaguely. "Do you mind if I crash here for awhile?"

"Not at all," Sirius insisted, handing the cup to his friend. "I'm just wondering why exactly you'd want to stay in my grubby flat with me opposed to your well furnished one with the lovely Katy Jones."

"You can wonder all you want," Remus said gruffly. "I just can't stay there anymore."

"Women," Sirius muttered. "Always the starting point of every man's problem. It's fascinating that we love them as much as we do."

"Halle never gave you problems," Remus pointed out.

Sirius smiled, remembering the times he spent with his wife. His gray eyes looked up at Remus curiously. "Obviously your memory doesn't hold up well as you age. Halle and I had all sorts of problems. We just worked through them in the end, is all."

"I love Katy," Remus told his friend. "I love her so much, it hurts. My heart sometimes feels like it will explode because it's so full. Yet lately, we've been very distant from each other. The full moon just passed, Katy works a lot, it's a bit understandable. But now, she's started researching."

"Researching what?" Sirius asked, stirring his coffee.

"I don't know," Remus sighed. "All I know is that she had profiles on all of us. Every single person we know. You, Peter, me, past enemies, members of the Order. Everyone! She wouldn't tell me a thing either."

"Why not?" Sirius asked.

"She doesn't trust me," Remus replied, using the same words Katy had told him only a couple hours ago.

Sirius nodded sympathetically. He knew that Voldemort brought a lot of distrust within the community. He had never thought it would come between his friends though.

"What did you tell her after she said that?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing," Remus said. "She went into bed. I couldn't even justify myself."

"I never knew you two were having problems," Sirius confessed. "It seems like so much is going on right now that it's hard for any of us to know everything about one another. Lily's going to have the baby soon, Alice is ready to blow, James is a nervous wreck. I haven't heard from Peter in weeks. We're falling apart."

"I was going to propose to her too," Remus said softly. "This weekend."

"You still can!" Sirius pointed out. "What's stopping you?"

"I can't be with someone who doesn't trust me," Remus answered. "What kind of relationship is that?"

"Prove to her that she can trust you," Sirius reasoned. "Prove to her that nothing can interfere with the love you feel for her. Nothing. Remus, don't let Voldemort stop you from living your life. Has he stopped Lily and James? How many times has he tried, but failed? Three times. How many times have others tried to come between them? More times than I can even count. Have they stopped loving each other? Have they let it effect them?"

"No," Remus replied. "They haven't."

"Do you know how many times a day Halle's name comes into my mind?" Sirius asked him. "Do you? Do you know how much regret I feel for not being able to save her, protect her at all? Her and the baby just died and there was nothing I could do about it. Nothing the doctors could do. You don't want to feel like that Remus. You don't want to feel regret. It eats away at you! You hide from everyone. I hide almost every day. I'm lucky if I see anyone at all. I had to move out of my house and into this horrible hellhole because I couldn't take the guilt I was feeling inside our house."

Remus nodded, knowing exactly how bitter Sirius was about losing his family. He didn't have his parents, he didn't have James' parents, his wife and child died, and now his friends were falling apart. Most of the hope in his life was wearing away one piece at a time.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," Remus said, patting his friend on the shoulder. "I really am. Everyone misses Halle. But this is different. Katy's still alive."

"Then you should embrace that," Sirius said angrily. "She's still alive. Sooner or later, if you don't act on it, she will find someone else. She'll move on. Do you want to see that happen?"

"If it makes her happy," Remus replied, walking into the guest room and shutting the door behind him.

.X.

The month of July sneaked up fast on James. Lily was eight and a half months pregnant, Alice was due at any minute, and he hadn't seen Sirius, Remus, Peter, or Katy for a long time. His work at the office was always nerve wracking. He was always afraid he would miss Lily's owl and she would have the baby without him.

Frank was even worst. Alice was a nightmare at the moment, having gone past her due date had made her even more irritable. The list of names the two of them had come up with slightly scared James. When he asked Frank about it, Frank just shrugged and mumbled something about not wanting to upset Alice. Basically, names such as Prometheus and Wildflower were on the list. Frank had no idea where Alice had found such names, but he sincerely hoped they wouldn't name their child any of the names found on the list.

Lily and James hadn't even thought of names yet. They were waiting to meet their new baby before deciding. Something as important as a name shouldn't be picked out until the person who is attached to that name earns it. It was important they find the right one and they were determined not to mess up.

With the stress of the baby coming, James had almost forgotten completely about the growing threat of the prophecy. He hadn't heard wind that Voldemort had found out, but it was entirely possible.

As James walked into work the afternoon of the 30th, he saw Frank quickly dash out of his office to retrieve his coat.

"Longbottom, where're you going? We have a shift to work," James shouted as Frank turned to face him.

"Alice just went into labor," Frank said, both merrily and with a note of anxiety in his voice.

"Good luck," James called to his friend as he Disapparated.

He always had that owl coming in the back of his mind, but he hadn't really prepared for it. An odd thought came into his mind as he walked into his office.

__

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...

It would be Frank and Alice. Frank and Alice would be the ones who the prophecy was referring to. Lily wasn't due until the second week of August. Without much inclination to do so, James let out a large maniacal laugh. He knew he shouldn't, but he was relieved. He was so relieved that he didn't have to worry about Voldemort coming after his child. If it was Frank's child, then Voldemort was wasting his time trying to kill James. The prophecy she had made in her fifth year at Hogwarts wasn't applicable to him. It was false. The last born Potter wouldn't be the one to conquer the Dark Lord. It would be a Longbottom.

James couldn't help himself, he was relieved.

.X.

Katy woke up that morning to find Remus gone, as well as many of his belongings. The better part of her month was spent emotionless, trying to carry on with the work that had torn them apart. She had to do it, she had to reveal the secret she had been researching.

Remus would have left her for nothing. If she found out the secret though, she could save lives.

She looked at the map Moody had provided her with. A green sticker had been placed on all the homes that Voldemort had attacked within the last two years. As she studied the map closely, trying to find a connection between all the houses, she saw a small building out in the distance. It was small and very forgettable. Katy wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't been one of the only buildings on the map without a sticker.

She had always wondered how the Death Eaters had gained the information needed for blackmail. It all made sense to her now. They studied the families they were planning on attacking before actually killing them. They tortured those families in every way possible before actually committing the actual crime.

They needed a hide out. It was shocking that she had never even noticed the house before anywhere. That meant it was secluded by something. Moody had never noticed it as he always studied the larger scaled houses. Voldemort usually went after Muggles, Aurors, and other prosperous families. James, Frank, and Lily never noticed it because they had always been told to study the larger houses.

Katy knew this was a large discovery. She also knew it would be risky to investigate it. Yet, she didn't really have much fear anymore. This last project was all she could hang onto at the moment.

.X.

"I wonder if Alice had the baby yet," Lily mused as she and her husband sat on the couch the night of the 31st.

"That poor kid," James said, resting Lily's head in his lap and stroking her hair gently. "It's going to have a horrible name if Alice has anything to do with it."

Lily laughed softly, actually in a good mood for once. She felt rather good that day. She wasn't hormonal, James was with her, Alice was having her baby. Everything was going right.

Surprisingly, even with all the security placed on their home, an owl magically popped into their house.

"It must be from one of our friends," James decided, seeing the owl fly over to him.

"Is it Frank and Alice?" Lily asked excitedly.

"No," James said before opening the letter. "This is Sirius' owl."

__

Prongs,

Remus needs our help. I tried owling Peter, but his mum said he was out for the night. I'm afraid Remus is going to do something stupid if you don't get over here.

Tell Lily I apologize for asking you to leave her. Promise her I'll make it up to her by taking her out for ice cream.

Thanks,

Padfoot

"Remus needs me," James told his wife. She nodded.

"Then go," Lily assured him. "I can manage. You haven't seen your friends in ages. They need you right now."

"Thank you," he whispered in her ear before kissing her goodbye.

.X.

"Prongs," Sirius said, welcoming James inside to reveal a very drunk Remus. "He's been in a horrible state since this afternoon. Started drinking this Muggle liquor called tequila. I tried talking him out of it, but he almost broke the bottle over my head. That's his second."

James walked over to Remus and tried to carry him onto the couch. "A little help here."

"Oh," Sirius said, catching on and lifting the other side of Remus onto the couch. Almost immediately, he passed out. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Why is he like this?" James asked.

"Katy," Sirius supplied, frowning. "The two of them broke it off awhile ago. Today, after I tried talking him into it, he was going to go and try and make up with her. I hated seeing him sulking and miserable. He reminded me of myself, right after Halle died. I couldn't stand to watch him go through what I did. But, when he went over, she wasn't there. He's convinced himself she's out with another man and that he has no shot."

"That's awful," James said, looking over at his friend. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"You're busy, mate. Your wife is pregnant, your work is overloading on you. Remus didn't want me to pester you with his petty problems," Sirius replied.

"Not exactly petty if you ask me," James sighed.

"Try telling him that," Sirius said quietly.

The two of them sat in silence for awhile, mainly wondering how things had gotten so out of control. Moony, the calm, rational one, was cracking up before their eyes.

.X.

Katy walked to the large field that wizard children thought was a playground. She consulted her map and saw that a large, willow tree was blocking the building. Slowly, Katy walked, knowing that the person she was looking for would be located inside that building.

She was praying that it wasn't Remus. If it was, she wouldn't know what to do with herself. All the time spent and the persons he was looking for was under her roof. It would be horrible.

As expected, the hide out was not big at all. Nothing special. It could easily be mistaken for a child's fort. She stared at the door longingly, her wand stretched out before her, and the anxiety was arising. What she would find behind that door was sure to be unpleasant. She tried calming herself, tried remembering the tactics of an Auror, and remembered Lily and James.

She opened the door and gasped. She was vaguely aware that she had dropped her wand.

"Peter," she said quietly. "Peter Pettigrew. You're the one? You're the one who has been feeding Voldemort whereabouts on Lily and James?"

Peter's face went pale as he realized that Katy had come looking for someone else. She had been the only person who had noticed that Voldemort had mistakenly attacked two pregnant women who were also near Diagon Alley. She had figured out that someone was telling Voldemort where to attack and when.

"Goodbye Katy," Peter said, as he yelled, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Before Katy could reach her wand, she screamed and fell.

.X.

James felt his watch vibrate. He looked down at it and saw that it was flashing and an address was being read out to him. He listened closely, knowing that the attack was close to his home.

"An attack," he whispered. He repeated it once more and jumped up. "There's been an attack. Frank's at the hospital. I've got to go."

Sirius' eyes looked alert. "What should I do?"

"Go to Lily," James advised. "Go take care of her until I get home."

Sirius nodded. "What about Remus?"

"Leave him here," James said. "He'll be fine."

Sirius ran out the door and hopped onto his motorcycle. As he took off, James Apparated to the location.

When he got there, he saw Moody running up behind him as fast as he could with his wooden leg. James looked to see the location, but would have clearly missed it if not for the green Dark Mark floating inside the branches of a willow tree.

"Underneath the tree," Moody grumbled.

The two of them held their wands out, ready to face whoever was there. They smashed open the wooden door, but only found a room with blood and a girl lying on the ground. Her blonde hair was lying in a pool of blood and James immediately recognized the girl.

"Oh my god," he said.

"Jones?" Moody asked James, a slightly horrified look that James hadn't imagined Moody was capable of appeared on the man's face.

.X.

As Sirius waited with Lily, the clock stuck nine and Lily's face grew even more agitated than it already was.

"Lily, I am sure that James is alright," Sirius assured her. "It was just an attack. I'm sure he's fine."

"No," she said in a pained voice. "Sirius."

"Yes?" he asked, his face turning pale as he recognized the face. Halle had made that face as well, the same day as Lily and James' wedding.

"It's time," she cried. She looked down and saw a puddle of water at her feet.

"Oh my god," Sirius whispered.

****

A/N: Please review.


	20. Harry James Potter

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A/N: Thank you for all your reviews. I also thank everyone who didn't verbally kill me like they usually do when I do something unpleasant. I'm sorry to leave you on such a cliffhanger. It was intentional though. So, thanks again, and please review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 20-Harry James Potter

"Oh my god, oh my god," Sirius mumbled, his eyes growing wide with fear. "Can you Apparate?"

"Do you think I'm in the condition to Apparate?" Lily asked, her hormones returning.

"Right," Sirius muttered. "Good thing I brought my bike."

"You mean your motorcycle?" Lily asked, clutching her stomach and breathing slowly in and out. "We're going to the hospital on your motorcycle?"

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Sirius asked her stubbornly.

Lily shook her head and just screamed, "Quickly."

As they were walking out the door, Sirius wrote a note to Remus and owled it off to him. He saw Lily approaching the bike and he ran up to help her. Hopefully, when James returned to check on Remus, Remus could tell him to get to the hospital.

"Where's James?" she cried as they flew off into the air.

"He's coming," Sirius assured her. After five minutes, the abandoned brick department stoor he knew to be St. Mungos appeared in front of them. He led Lily to the ugly dummy in the front and nearly yelled into it, "We have a patient going into labor."

The doors opened and Sirius led Lily inside. As they climbed the stairs, a healer in lime green robes took Lily's other arm and helped carry her up.

"It will be alright," the healer said to Lily.

"No it won't," Lily insisted. "My husband's not here."

.X.

Remus awoke to the sharp feeling of being bitten. He opened his eyes and immediately felt a sharp pain in his head. He saw an owl holding a letter for him.

He read it and immediately started panicking. He had no idea where James had went. How was he supposed to contact him?

Hopefully, the owl could find James for him. It had to.

__

Prongs,

Lily's going into labor. Sirius took her to the hospital. Get over there ASAP

Moony

Remus sent the owl off into the sky and hoped it would be able to find his friend. In the meantime, Remus figured Sirius could use all the help he could get.

.X.

James had never had to deal with personal attachment when on the crime scene. He had experienced many loss' before, but he had never actually seen the after effects of murder on someone that was his friend.

"What was she doing here, Moody?" James asked his boss. Moody seemed at a loss for words. He was looking at Katy Jones as if he had lost a child. An Auror was always one of the hardest things to lose as you know the Dark side gained one up on you and your chances have gone down by one.

It was more complex with Katy though. She was a good person. She was their friend. James thought of Remus. He almost felt that Remus had died as well. His friend would never be the same again because Katy had died while the two of them were not on good terms. Remus loved Katy. Anyone could see that. Voldemort tore people apart. He always had.

"Damn him," James muttered. "We're supposed to be able to stop these things from happening."

"You're right," Moody said quietly. "We are. Unfortunately, there will always be mistakes. It was a mistake for Voldemort to kill a fine Auror like Katy Jones."

"How do we know Voldemort killed her?" James asked softly.

Before Moody could answer his question, an owl dashed in through the open door. It was Sirius' owl once more, but the note was from Remus. James looked at it and his eyes showed even more anxiety.

"I've got to go," James said, handing the note over to Moody. "Do you think you can catch up with Remus before he gets there? Someone needs to tell him and I wish I could, but Lily's going into labor."

"I can do that, Potter," Moody assured him. "Now go have your baby. We need more good people in this world."

James Disapparated and left Moody at the death site of one of his favorite Aurors.

.X.

Sirius was beside Lily in the hospital room, his hand already aching from the amount of pressure she was putting on it. Both Healers Lupin were there, assuring both Sirius and Lily that everything would be ok. Apparently, she was going to have the baby very quickly. They predicted less than three hours.

"I want James," she moaned in between contractions.

"Maybe I should go and find..," Sirius suggested.

"Go?" Lily asked, her emerald green eyes scared. "Sirius, you're the only person I have right now. You can't go."

Sirius desperately wanted to go though. He hated hospitals. Ever since Halle died, the white walls haunted him. He remembered holding Cherish, her dead body in his hands. He didn't want that for Lily. If it happened to her, he didn't know what he would do. He didn't want to stick around either. He had to though, it was Lily. His friend, his best mate's wife, Lily. He had to help her. He was all she had.

"I won't," Sirius promised.

"Thank you," Lily whispered, her voice going from screaming.

"Come on, Mrs. Potter," Healer Lupin coached. "You need to push."

"James isn't here," Lily reminded them. "I need James."

"I'm here, baby," someone said from the door. James was struggling to put on a hospital gown.

He thanked Sirius and took his place next to his wife. She smiled at him before the Healers told her to push.

"Come on, Lily," James coached. "You're strong. You can do it. Don't you want to know what our baby looks like?"

She pushed.

"I see a head," Healer Lupin cried. "With lots of hair."

"Uh oh," Sirius teased. "Looks like all Potter's have that ridiculous head of hair. James laughed, but stopped as he saw the pain in his wife's face.

"Last push, Mrs. Potter," the Healer announced. "One last push and you can see your baby."

"Come on, Lils," Sirius cheered. "Come on!"

She pushed with all her might and soon, they had a baby.

"It's a boy," Healer Lupin announced. "A beautiful, healthy, baby boy."

James grinned and leaned over to kiss Lily. He whispered in her ear, "I love you so much."

Sirius nearly jumped on James, hugging him. Once the healers had washed him off, they brought the new Potter boy over to meet his parents.

"Oh, he's so beautiful," Lily whispered, holding a small hand of her baby. "You're what's been kicking me for the past nine months. He looks just like his daddy too."

The baby opened it's eyes and James swore that a green light emitted from them.

"Not exactly like me," he said, seeing the green eyes his son has acquired from his wife.

"What should we name him?" Lily asked.

"Harry," James answered, looking at his son. "He looks like a Harry."

"Harry James Potter," Lily decided. "Two men I will always love."

"And he beat the month of July too," James said. "August 1st , buddy."

"Actually," the Healer informed them. "He was born at 11:59 PM on July 31st."

****

A/N: That chapter was not as good as I wanted it to be. I am sorry about the length. It will improve, I promise. Next chapter we'll learn more about Alice, Peter, and how everyone will react to Katy's death.


	21. The Death Flower

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A/N: When I wrote the last chapter, I was barely awake. To those of you who caught the mistake, congrats. A lot of people did. I corrected it, but it took forever for fan fiction to post the correction. Oops, I did make a mistake. For the most part, you knew what I meant. To those of you who didn't, that's ok. I changed the mistake after the first review telling me what it was. So, sorry about the cliffhanger last chapter. Leave me a review. Thanks!

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 21-The Death Flower

Lily sat in bed, holding her newborn baby, when Alice Longbottom slowly walked into the hospital room with a bundle of her own. She smiled at Lily, the two women knowing that they would forever hold a bond because of the journey they went through.

"I heard it's a boy," Alice said as she peered down on a sleeping Harry. "He's beautiful."

"Let me see," Lily whispered as Alice lowered the bundle so Lily could see. A baby boy sat nestled in blankets, sleeping peacefully.

"Alice," Lily said. "He's adorable. What's his name?"

"Neville," Alice answered. "It took me about two hours to pick it out, but Neville is the one Frank and I agreed on."

Her eyes looked bloodshot, as if she'd been crying, and Lily gazed up at her friend.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked. "Is something the matter?"

"It's just that Neville's going to be _the one_," she whispered. "I'm just so worried. I don't want anyone to hurt my baby."

"Alice," Lily said. "Harry was born at 11:59 on July 31st."

Alice's blue eyes became round and surprised. Both she and Frank had already felt that they were the couple who would have to protect their child. Yet, no one knew which child would be the one to conquer Lord Voldemort.

"James and Sirius are trying to find an owl," Lily said, explaining her husband's absence. "They want to owl Remus."

"Frank probably met up with them," Alice sighed. "His mother came by and he said she wanted to stop by the gift shop. Lord only knows what she'll come out of there with."

Lily laughed, her baby slightly stirring, but remaining asleep. She didn't know how or why, but Harry was all she could think about lately. He was her baby, her and James' child that they had made together. They were parents now. Seeing him reassured her immensely.

"I wonder where Katy is," Lily said. "She always said she wanted to be in the delivery room with me when I had the baby."

"Maybe she was on a case," Alice suggested. "Aurors are hard to get in contact with after deaths."

"A death?" Lily asked, her eyebrows raising.

Alice nodded. "It's all very mysterious. I read about it in the paper this morning. According to the Prophet, You-Know-Who struck again at his secret headquarters. He killed and then fled. Moody's being very hush-hush about it right now. Frank doesn't even know what it's about."

"I wonder if James knows anything," Lily pondered, kissing the top of baby Harry's head.

.X.

"We should get flowers for Lily," James propositioned as he and Sirius passed by the gift shop.

"That's a good idea," Sirius agreed. "Roses or lilies?"

James thought of Katy and almost broke down crying. Lilies were the death flower.

"R-r-roses," he stammered, his mind remembering what he had seen the night before. He had almost forgotten, what with the birth of his son. He had almost forgotten about Remus. Of course he wouldn't get the owl Sirius and he had sent, he was probably mourning.

"Roses it is," Sirius said cheerfully.

__

Sirius doesn't know, James thought to himself. _Frank doesn't know. Lily doesn't know._

Frank Longbottom bumped into Sirius and James as they exited the gift shop. His mum was beside him, holding a very ugly afghan.

"James," Frank greeted, shaking James' hand. "Congratulations. I heard it was a boy."

"I heard the same about your child," James said, trying to force a smile. It was hard to do this when something as tragic as death had occurred.

Frank waved his mum off and James and Sirius continued walking up to the maternity ward of the hospital.

"So, read the Prophet lately?" Frank asked as they walked down the hall. They paused before the door. Both Lily and Alice were inside with the babies.

"No," James answered. "Why?"

"Small article about how You-Know-Who struck again last night," Frank informed him. "Have you heard from Moody?"

"No," James lied. "I haven't."

"Hey Prongs," Sirius intervened. "Didn't you go to a site last night?"

James heaved a breath in. The questions were coming fast. He didn't know if he could talk about it.

He turned his head to avoid eye contact when he saw Remus Lupin walking towards them. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked like a mess. He immediately hugged James when he saw him.

"I'm so sorry, Moony," James said to his friend. "So sorry."

He let go of his friend and looked him in the eye. Remus was staring at the ground.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye," he mumbled.

"You rarely do," James confessed. "It's horrible what happened to her."

"What happened?" Frank and Sirius asked at once.

"Prongs, they're saying it wasn't Voldemort," Remus told his friend. "Moody thinks it wasn't him. That means someone out there killed her. She's gone and they killed her. We're in a world lacking mercy."

"Katy," Sirius whispered, putting the pieces together.

"Jones?" Frank asked, his eyes wide with fear.

"What about Katy?" Lily asked, standing in the doorway. "Does anyone know where she is?"

At the sight of Lily, Remus broke down. He walked over to a bench and let his angry tears flow as his head rested in his hands.

"Lily," James said quietly. "She's dead."

.X.

James and Lily sat in the hospital bed, baby Harry lying on both of them, their eyes red and puffy. Harry was sleeping soundly, an innocent youngling with no worries yet.

Lily was in a state of shock. This was the second time she had lost a best friend. After a couple of hours, she was past the point of tears and frustration. She was almost completely over the shock, but she wasn't even close to being over the pain.

Realization was settling in. Lily didn't even want to know how Remus was feeling. He had gone home, Sirius as supervision. Slow, small tears came down Lily's cheeks, the last she had left in her.

"James," she said in barely a whisper. He looked over at her. "We're not allowed to be happy, are we?"

"I know. It's as if all the people we love are slowly being taken away from us. Your mum, my parents, Halle, Katy," James said in a low voice.

"Not only that," Lily said. "Every time we try to be happy, try to move on, something like this happens. First Hogsmeade weekend together, Voldemort attacks us. Our wedding, Voldemort attacks, Halle and Cherish both die. We have Harry, Katy is killed. At this point, I am ready to give up hope of ever being happy."

James rubbed his wife's shoulders and kissed her temple. He knew how she felt. His friends were constantly being hurt because of their association with them. He hated the world he lived in. The entire atmosphere was broken and corrupt. He wished so hard that he could move on with his life, live past Voldemort, but in the end, it always came down to him.

"I miss her, James," Lily cried. "I miss her. I wanted her to be godmother of our child."

"I did too," James agreed, ruffling his son's hair gently.

"We just had a baby and now we're going to go to a funeral. Our lives are so screwed up," Lily proclaimed softly.

.X.

Next to the gravestone marked Halle Elizabeth Douglas Black, a large hole was dug and a tombstone read Katy Jane Jones.

Nearly one hundred people stood surrounding the hole, a pure white coffin cascading into the Earth. The crowd was dressed in black, each person holding a perfect white lily.

Remus was the first to drop his in. He prayed that the flower would never die. He cried, cried more than he ever had in his life. He looked over quickly at Halle and Cherish's grave and now knew how Sirius felt. His family was gone as well. Katy was basically all he had. His parents were Healers, caught up in the medical world. Katy was his constant, the love of his life. Then, he had screwed things up. He hadn't paid enough attention to her. He should have known she would have gone out looking for Voldemort. She hated to stand by and watch the world crumble.

She was so generous. She contributed all she had to everyone around her. She was one of the only people who actually loved him for who he was; a werewolf. She saw past it and looked within. She allowed herself to love him. He owed her more than he could ever pay back.

Once the service was over, Remus walked out of the park alone. His friends were left crying by the stone, no words for what had happened. Sirius' eyes filled with tears as he saw his wife and daughter's grave once more. Lily saw her best friends' graves lying side by side, haunting her. She would never see them again. She felt someone tap her shoulder. Alice was behind her, crying. She had liked Katy. Katy was there for her and Lily through their pregnancy, willing to give all she had to offer.

Lily snuggled her son close to her. All she had left now was Harry and James. She knew that times were dark. She loved Remus, Sirius, Alice, Frank, and Peter. They were her only friends at the moment. Yet, Harry and James were the ones she needed. She needed her family. It was the only thing she was able to look after.

Peter walked out of the cemetery, his eyes not even stained with any tears. He had done his best to look grieved at the ceremony. He knew that Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus were like a family. Yet, he had a new family now. A family that promised great things in reward for information.

He couldn't sacrifice that for anything. He hadn't dropped his flower into the grave. He had kept it, torn it apart in his hands. His friends hadn't even noticed. Now, as he walked out, he threw it onto the ground and watched it rustle in the breeze.

****

A/N: I didn't want to write overreactions as those tend to get old. I prefer writing the emotions this way. Trust me, they're all hurt by it (except for Peter maybe). I just feel that they all chose to grieve privately. So please, review. I hope you liked that chapter.


	22. Reflection

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A/N: Lately I have been pretty out of it due to the summertime, so more mistakes have been made. I try to fix them as soon as I'm aware, but it doesn't always get fixed immediately. Bare with me right now. I usually write in the morning or very late at night. Not always the best times for thinking. To those of you who reviewed, thanks so much. On with the story then. Please review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 22-Reflection

A dark room with only the light of the sparking fire was the meeting place. Two men were speaking in hushed tones, three snakes circling at their feet. The home once belonged to the Riddle family. The old legend of the Riddles was well known throughout the town of Little Hangleton. Voldemort was sure to keep all lights off and the noise level to a minimum as an elderly gardener still lived on the property. So far, it had been an ideal location for a hideout.

Peter Pettigrew paced the room, his watery eyes scared from the presence of his master. The news he had to share was unpleasant and there could quite possibly be consequences.

"My Lord," Peter began, catching the attention of his master. Manipulative scarlet eyes bore into his skull with curiosity. The longing for information was captivating and the only reason Lord Voldemort kept Peter Pettigrew around.

"Have you acquired the information I asked of you?" Voldemort asked, his lips curling into a sly grin as Pettigrew nodded.

"The genders" Peter commented. "They were indisposed to all reporters and civilians as requested by the parents. However, I managed to retrieve the information."

"And..?" Voldemort asked, nearly on edge. "Which brat will I be awarded the pleasure of killing?"

"That's just it," Peter said nervously. "Both were boys."

Instead of overreacting as Peter had expected, his master sat back and laughed quietly. His menacing eyes were particularly dangerous by the firelight.

"This is good news?" Peter inquired, almost flinching at the sight of his master.

"Indeed, Wormtail," Voldemort assured his loyal servant. "Indeed it is. Do you know what this means? This means that the obvious choice is whomever I feel will pose as my biggest threat."

"Which child would that be?" Peter asked, his voice growing unsteady by the second.

Voldemort didn't reply to this, he simply sat back in his chair and welcomed the snake that had slithered up his leg. Things were working in his benefit after all.

.X.

The news of her friend's death had not been taken lightly. Lily couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep, she barely found the inspiration to leave her bed. The only time she did manage to make herself useful was to feed Harry. Otherwise, she wept. The shock of it all, losing both of her best friends, seemed to take it's toll on her. When Halle had died, Lily had stiffened her upper lip and attempted to lead her normal life, the way Halle would have seen fit. Now, without even Katy to console in, she was lost.

James was worried about his wife. Harry was only three weeks old, but James felt as if his wife was missing a significant part of their son's life. He was sad as well, but someone needed to be there to watch over Harry. He couldn't let himself fall apart, he needed to stay strong. Sirius managed to come over and help, trying to distract his thoughts away from Katy and Halle. According to him, Remus was almost always in the same position as Lily.

Alice had even brought Neville over, in hopes to occupy Harry and get a chance to cheer Lily up. After a whole month, Alice spoke up.

"James," Alice sighed. "You need to do something about her. She's a mess. I mean, she's always been on the frail side, but losing every ounce of your baby weight in less than a month is unhealthy. Not only for her, but for the baby as well."

James looked down at baby Harry, who was lying content in his arms. His black hair wasn't to the point where it was unmanageable yet, but soft and tamed. His emerald eyes glistened merrily, looking up at his father.

"I know," James replied. "I'm more worried than anyone. I hate seeing her like this. I just wish there was something I could do."

"Maybe you should see a doctor," Alice suggested, cradling Neville a bit more towards her. "There's this thing I read about inside one of my books on maternity. It's an after effect of pregnancy. A condition called postpartum depression. It's very common among women who have just given birth."

"You really think she's depressed?" James asked.

Alice shrugged, not knowing what to think. "I'm a Healer, but even I can't tell you what's going on with Lily. Have you tried talking to her?"

"A couple of times," James told her. "It's near useless."

"I don't think she's depressed," Alice said, sharing her opinion. "I just suggested that it could be part of the problem. Personally, I think she's just sad. Everyone is, but you need to tell her that Katy wouldn't have wanted us to all waste our lives away. She has a baby now. Just talk to her."

"I'll try," James assured Alice, smiling at her. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do," Alice told him before Disapparating.

James looked over at his bedroom door. It was closed, blocking all view of his wife. He almost preferred it that way. He didn't want Harry to see his mum looking so down, although James was pretty sure that he couldn't understand it anyways.

He looked over towards the fridge and saw a bottle of formula and a piece of pizza.

"So, what do you think? Pizza or this yummy formula?" James asked, offering both to Harry. "Oh, I see, chicks dig formula. I'll have to remember that when I talk to your mum."

He took the bottle out and placed it gently into Harry's mouth. He heard someone Apparate in and turned to see Sirius.

"Harry, my man," Sirius greeted his best friend's son. "Oh, formula again? You're going to get addicted if you keep this up."

James went to take a bite of his pizza, but not before his best friend took it out of his hands. Sirius managed to eat the entire piece in a remarkable record of two bites.

"What'd you do that for?" James protested. "That's all we have to eat."

"Hm," Sirius contemplated. "Could it be because I want you to go and talk to Lily? Yes, I think so. Face it, Prongs, you need her."

"Here," James said, handing over the baby to his best friend. "I'll go talk to her."

"It's about time," Sirius mumbled to Harry. "You have got to have the most stubborn parents in the world. Let's hope you take after Uncle Sirius in the temperament department."

James knocked on his bedroom door and entered the room. He closed the door behind him. He saw that Lily was awake, although she was lying lethargically on their bed. He sat down beside her and she looked over at him, her eyes very red and puffy.

"Lily," he said softly. "Can you hear me?"

After a couple of minutes, she made a sort of muffled sound that he took as a yes.

"Honey," he tried again, figuring out just how he was going to come about saying it. "Do you reckon it's time you get out of bed?"

"No," she answered in a near whisper.

"Don't you have to use the bathroom?" he asked her. "I mean, it's incredible you've held on this long. A whole month, that must be a record."

He heard a sort of laugh from her end and smiled.

"Come on, baby," he coaxed. "We need you. Harry needs you, I need you. We miss you."

She rolled over so he could see her. Her red hair was a tangled mess.

"I can't, James," she told him. "It hurts. It hurts too much. It feels like anyone I become remotely attached to is snatched away. I'm lucky to even have you and Harry."

"Then why don't you appreciate that good fortune?" he asked her. "Come live. Stop sitting around in bed. She wouldn't have wanted things to be like this. She loved life, she would be sad if you spent the rest of your days mourning."

"I miss her, James," Lily cried. James took her in his arms and rubbed the back of her head.

"We all do," he insisted. "We do. The best thing we can do right now is live and hopefully someday take down that Voldemort bastard. He's taken away so much from us. You need to go back to work, honey. You need to come back to me and Harry. We love you."

"I love you both so much," Lily wept. She heard a soft knock at the door and looked over to see Sirius holding her baby. He walked inside and handed Harry over. Lily kissed him softly on the head.

"I've been a bad mum, haven't I?" Lily asked. "He's so beautiful."

"He is," James said adoringly, kissing his wife's forehead.

"Sirius," Lily said, just as their friend was going to walk out the door.

"Yes, Lily?" he asked her.

"Will you be his godfather?" she proposed, looking over at him. Sirius' gray eyes were wide in shock. James looked over at his wife happily. She had known precisely what he had wanted to do.

"I would be honored," Sirius told them, laughing and going over to hug them both.

Even if tough times had come and were most likely going to keep coming, they always had each other. Family.

.X.

Remus walked into the cemetery, retracing steps Sirius had taken so many times before him. He had left his house for something other than work and he felt he should share his time with his love.

He almost cried as he saw Halle's gravestone, as well as Cherish's smaller one. His blue eyes watered as he saw Katy's. Katy Jane Jones, the only love of his life. The only woman who would truly understand him for the person he was. She had been there for him in ways others had not. She had been by his side, through good and bad.

In the end, he hadn't gotten around to apologizing to her. He hadn't made up with her. They had parted on bad terms, the only terms that would seem meaningful and race through his mind with years to come. He would hardly remember the good, but only the bad that seemed to lay a fresh blanket of guilt upon his conscience.

He could never imagine being so frustrated, but when he and Katy had broken it off, he had known that everything would be downhill from there. He had wanted to mend their broken relationship, but had easily been misled that she was already off dating other men.

He had been wrong. She had not been dating, she had not been gallivanting. She had been dead. For that, he was regretful. He would have preferred her to be seeing a thousand different men than to be lying in the gravestone that was now her own.

He hadn't been able to imagine how Sirius had felt when Halle and Cherish had died; two important things in his life. Now, Remus understood. He had lost his reason for living, but not his hope. There was hope for him. He still had his friends. They would not be enough, but they would be the only things preventing him from completely giving up.

His reason for living was right in front of him. Katy enjoyed life. She was generous, open, warm, all the characteristics of a loving person. He would miss her.

He set a single white rose down on her grave and wiped tears from his eyes. He sat before that grave all night, hoping for some sort of miracle to bring her back to him.

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A/N: Well, it wasn't essential, but I wrote this chapter hoping to capture the emotions of the other characters more in depth. This will be the turning point for everyone to try and move on with their lives. So, tell me what you think, hopefully I didn't make too many mistakes, and please review.


	23. The Chosen One

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A/N: Well, the approach of HBP is nearing and the information I am writing for fan fiction becomes less and less plausible. I have no intention of stopping until I am finished with this (which I am estimating at about 30 chapters). So everyone, enjoy the book. Please review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 23-The Chosen One

Three months passed and the summer heat slowly shifted into a cool autumn breeze. The leaves on the trees outside were changing colors at a rapid pace. The atmosphere around was slowly easing down. Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus were managing to cope with the fact that they would never see Katy Jones again. They weren't ashamed of her death, but proud. She had died honorable, trying to protect others.

Lily seemed to becoming more and more cheerful as she watched her son grow. Baby Harry was amusing her until she could actually go back to work. The thought scared her, as she had no one to sit him during the day. Yet, subtlety Voldemort was hiding something. The Aurors at the Ministry detected this much as no attacks had been made since Katy Jones. He was nearly begging Lily to rejoin his workforce, as he needed someone with her brilliant mind.

"When do you think you're going to go back?" James asked as he set Harry into his into Lily's arms and grabbed a cup of coffee. Lily began feeding her son a bottle of formula, looking down at him.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "My best friend was just killed on the job. I don't know if I'm ready to go back yet."

"I can tell you're bored Lily," James told her. "You can't hide it. You're nearly itching to resume your work. Being an Auror means as much to you as it does to me."

Before Lily could retaliate, Sirius Apparated into the house. He looked annoyed and he sat down at the breakfast table angrily.

"Dumbledore's just basically laid me off," Sirius told them, explaining his abrupt entrance. "He said that he thought it would be hazardous at this time for my personal safety to continue working for him. Well, because of the you know-the prophecy."

The two of them nodded. They had tried to forget about the prophecy. It hadn't been mentioned since Alice had come to talk to Lily in the hospital the day Harry had been born. They all looked over at Harry, who had fallen asleep.

"What are you going to do?" James inquired, handing over the crossword puzzle of the Daily Prophet to his best friend.

"Well, it's not like I'm in need of money. I have that. It's too late to become an Auror. Gringrotts has no more openings. No interest in becoming a Healer since, well, Halle died. The hospital just gives me off feelings, is all. I am not one to obey authority 100 percent of the time, basically canceling out any hope of my working at the Ministry. I did want to work in the Magical Games department, but there are no openings yet. Basically, I'm going to sit at home and rot," Sirius told them, putting a sarcastic grin on his face. Harry had woken up and was now giggling at his godfather.

"That's right, buddy," Sirius said. "You know who's the funny one in this house."

"I'll be unemployed as well," Lily regretfully informed him. "Officially, maternity leave is over. I just don't see any way of my staying at home. I have a baby to take care of."

"Wait, Lils," Sirius exclaimed, jumping up. "I can watch Harry!"

Lily paused, considering the idea. "Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Absolutely," Sirius assured her. "I love kids. I'll do anything you need me to do and more. We'll take walks, we'll pick up chicks, even take a ride on my motorcycle."

James chuckled, but Lily smacked Sirius on the arm.

"If you promise me, no, I mean us, not to do that, you can have the job," Lily told him.

"I won't let you down," Sirius promised. "Now, if I'm correct, Moody is basically a heart attack in the making without you. You should probably get started as soon as possible."

Lily smiled. She was so glad she and James had declared Sirius as Harry's godfather. If worst came to worst, she knew he would always be there for her son.

She kissed Harry's forehead and walked into her room to get ready. She was already antsy with anticipation. She was going back to work. She was ready.

.X.

The afternoon of October 31st, Sirius carried Harry into the kitchen and placed the remaining contents of his bottle into the refrigerator. He casually strolled back into the living room to play with his godson. Before he sat down on the couch, he saw a pink outfit with long ears. He gasped.

"They're taking you out as a bunny?" he whispered mostly to himself in shock. "I can't have this. I won't have this. No godson of mine is going to become some nancy boy. We're going shopping, little man."

With that, he found blanket for Harry and nestled him safely into it and carried him in one of his arms as he rode in the sky on the forbidden motorcycle.

.X.

As Lily and James walked into their home laughing, they smiled as they smelled something cooking.

"Halloween dinner?" Sirius proposed, stirring a pan full of spaghetti using his wand. Harry was sitting in a swing in the kitchen. Lily grinned, but then she looked more closely and saw that his hair was mohawked and he was wearing leather.

"Sirius, what did you do to my baby?" Lily asked.

"Doesn't he look cool?" Sirius asked, proud of his work. James was laughing as he saw his baby. Lily smacked him in the arm.

"What happened to the bunny outfit I had out?" Lily inquired. "Now he's going as some biker hoodlum?"

"He likes it," Sirius insisted. "Look at the little fella. He's never been more happy in his life. Plus, a little three year old girl was flirting with him on the street. It was magical. I mean, three years older than him! He's going to get a reputation soon. Harry loves the ladies."

Lily rolled her eyes and couldn't help laughing.

"I have a question," James piped up. "It's very important. How did you control his hair like that? I am in dire need of control."

He pointed up to his mop of raven black untidy hair. Lily ruffled it with her hand and laughed. She was glad that she could have good times with her family and try and move on from the horrible aspects of her past.

.X.

The graveyard that night was calm and quiet. The wind swiftly rustled past and stirred the black cloaks of the Death Eaters circled around Tom Riddle's gravestone. The luminescent glow of their white skeletal masks was all that could be seen apart from the deep scarlet pupils surveying all that stood before him.

He waited as each one approached him, kissing the hem of his robes. He was the most honored man in the entire world to them. He was the most powerful being, the right choice, as well as the leader of the dark world. Lord Voldemort resented the fact that his father was a Muggle, but without that chance to kill the Riddles, he would not have begun his killing spree as successfully.

No one would have expected that half-blooded Head Boy and Prefect Tom Riddle would have grown into the most feared human being the wizarding world had seen. He had long surpassed the legend of Grindelwald. He was in his prime and there was only one thing preventing him from taking over.

A boy. One boy was stopping him from creating a world of darkness.

As he stood, his wand outstretched to the rich earth, he grinned. He knew that the right choice had been made. He had made his choice. He knew which child he would have to kill. All he needed was a faithful servant and the opportune time and place.

"We are all gathered here in honor of what can be considered an epiphany. A dear servant of mine came across the information of a prophecy. A prophecy that predicted my downfall. The power to vanquish me was held between two little boys. Two innocent little boys that have barely made their way into the Earth. Now, one might wonder how I decided between the two? Which boy would be the right choice?

"I work in secrecy, keeping all my plans hidden from the world. Only you all, my servants and family, are my reliable friends. I know that there is not one person in this entire community of wizards that I am afraid of, least of all a little boy.

"My grudge against the Potter family is well known. I resent every single one of them. They make my life more difficult. James Potter has escaped my grasps far too many times. What would torture his noble, Gryffindor heart more than killing his beloved son? When the moment comes, I will strike upon little Harry Potter."

Murmurs could be heard throughout the Death Eaters.

"My Lord," a collected voice said from behind a mask. Lucius Malfoy, a member of Voldemort's inner circle, was usually one who spoke on all the Death Eaters' behalves. "Wouldn't the smart decision be to go with the pureblood?"

"In this case, blood means nothing to me," Voldemort shouted to them all. He could hear their gasps. He was frightening them, something he secretly prided himself on. "Talent. Evans and Potter were two of the most talented wizards to make their way out of Hogwarts. They are both Aurors. They are bigger threats to me than the Longbottoms. I know I can bring both of them down, as well as the world around them, by killing their little pride and joy. All I need is one person to help me through it all."

He knew, even with a mask as a disguise, exactly where Peter Pettigrew was. He used his knowledge of Occlumency to bring out a memory of James and Lily to Wormtail. He nodded in his spy's direction. Peter's heart was racing. He had been hoping that his master would choose Neville Longbottom, opposed to Harry. Yet, he was still willing to pull through for his master.

One person, one who would not be expected to feel so, wasn't completely certain that his master was doing for the best.

.X.

"You asked to meet me, Severus," Professor Dumbledore said as he watched Snape pace through his office. Snape was clutching onto his left arm protectively, cursing under his breath. He knew this was wrong, he knew it was betrayal. Yet, this final straw was the breaking point for him. Killing a little boy was the end of the line. He knew he didn't want to be that kind of person anymore.

"Yes, Professor," Snape said slowly. "I have some information for you."

"Information?" Dumbledore inquired, his face solemn and serious. Yet, anyone that knew him well would know he was smiling. He seemed to know there was something different about Severus Snape. He nodded to encourage Snape to go on.

"I know that you're the only one the Dark Lord has ever been afraid of," Snape started. "I know that you can do something. You see, tonight, I was at a Death Eater's meeting."

He looked up, expecting Dumbledore to judge him. The old man sat, simply interested in what he was saying. No judgment had even crossed his mind.

"At this meeting, the Dark Lord talked about having some sort of epiphany. Only then did I realize I was having one of my own. I looked around me and knew that these people weren't my friends. They would kill me if the Dark Lord told them to do so. I had no trust, no emotion being around these kinds of people," Snape went on, his voice traveling into a rapid pace. "I realized that I didn't want to be a Death Eater anymore. After these years of hurting others, I've managed to hurt myself far worst. The guilt lying within my conscience is agonizing. The blood that's been shed due to my hands is shameful. All my years I knew I would be a Death Eater. It was expected. I was an outcast, a Slytherin, and I had some sort of grudge against the prime source of good, James Potter. It was expected that I would want to join with the dark side. Yet, now, I don't think I should have to live up to everyone's expectations. It is my life. I should have the right to decide how I wish to live it."

"And you do," Dumbledore assured him. "It is never too late, Severus."

"I'm afraid it is," the man said with a trembling voice. "I know of the prophecy."

Dumbledore nodded, not particularly surprised by this statement. He had known due to the attack on the two pregnant Muggle women earlier that year that Voldemort had to have had some sort of knowledge pertaining to the prophecy.

"As much as I hate Potter, I think you need to warn him," Snape said, surprising both himself and Dumbledore. The old man's eyes were wide and alive, magnetically focused on Snape's watery black ones. "The Dark Lord is going to kill his son."

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A/N: Well? How'd you like the chapter? Not really long, but it's all I could do. I tried. So, leave a review. Thanks.


	24. The Fidelius Charm

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A/N: Someone told me that I was a year behind in my writing. I must inform you all, I am not. There is still another year left in the story. It will NOT be finished before HBP. I think that Dumbledore was tipped off about Lily and James a year in advance, just as Sirius mentioned in POA. He told Peter that the spy had been feeding information for over a year before Lily and James were dead. So, I am thinking I am going to wrap this up into 27 or 28 chapters. So, you have 3 or 4 more (counting this one). Also, to those of you who feel the need to tell me to change the storyline, I cannot do that. This is not an AU fic, I never planned on it to be an AU fic, and it won't become an AU fic. Please don't act immaturely about it by sending me flames. Nothing will be accomplished that way. I am merely following JKR's outline. So please everyone, act maturely. Also, I wish to thank everyone who has left a review. I love them all and am very appreciative for those of you who have left them now and in the past. Thanks. Please review.

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 24-The Fidelius Charm

The information Severus Snape had told Albus Dumbledore was shocking and nearly breathtaking. Dumbledore had pretty much guaranteed that Voldemort would attack Neville Longbottom.

Neville was a pureblooded wizard, born to Frank and Alice Longbottom. Voldemort was heir to Slytherin, bloodline clearly being very important to him and his house. Dumbledore had assumed that this stood true in this predicament as well. Yet, Snape had told the aged headmaster that Voldemort was planning on killing the half-blooded child Harry Potter. To this, Dumbledore couldn't comprehend.

Frank Longbottom was one of the top Aurors, a supervisor and leader to all beneath him. Although he didn't have as much experience as Alastor Moody, his quick mind and sharp skills proved him as a useful asset. Alice was a Healer for St. Mungo's, a trainer no less. She was necessary for the entire Healing unit to run. Seeing as both of Neville's parents were useful tools to the wizarding community, Dumbledore had figured this was Voldemort's chance to bring them down. He hadn't wished it upon them, not at all, but he had surveyed and thought through the situation regarding the prophecy carefully and with many possible outcomes. Voldemort choosing Harry Potter was not something he had bargained for.

Yet, after hearing the news, Severus Snape breathing heavily in front of him, Dumbledore realized that he should have known. He should have known that Voldemort would have chosen Harry. Although Voldemort had attacked the Longbottoms three times and failed to prevail in all three circumstances, he had much more of a grudge against Lily and James.

The Potter family had always served as a threat to him and his legion. Talent, nobility, pride, and cockiness proved to be able to easily withstand many of his attacks. Dumbledore knew that his former student was feeling very frustrated and wished to take his grudge a bit further. Little Harry Potter may have been half blooded, but his parents were two of the most talented Aurors of their age. They had close ties in the community, they were prided students of Dumbledore himself, and they had a love that seemed to carry them through their situations seemingly unscathed. If there was one thing Voldemort didn't understand, it was love. Yet, he did seem to understand that Lily and James would pass on their unconditional love to their child. He knew they would do anything to protect their child. This was their weakness. Any sign of weakness was always a sign of his strength over them. This particular weakness seemed to convince him enough that Harry Potter was _the _right child.

Dumbledore realized that he hadn't responded at all after Severus had told him the news. He had simply sat there in thought, clearly in a state of shock. He slowly lifted his wand up to his temple and removed the memory of that very moment. He set it gently into his large stone basin; a pensieve. There it would remain to inevitably face countless examination.

.X.

"I have gathered you all here today for a very important meeting," Albus Dumbledore announced to the group of people congregated before him in the Potter's basement. "A new wizard has agreed to help us in our mission to prevail against Voldemort."

Many shuddered in the room as that name was spoken. Throughout the last year, even more fear had been spread throughout the wizarding world and the use of his name was daring. Albus Dumbledore may have been the only man who could speak it without any fear at all. The members of the Order of the Phoenix were wary as to this news. They knew it was good to have someone on their side, but lately, everything involved with Voldemort and his group of Death Eaters was bad news.

"I advise you all to welcome Severus Snape," the aged wizard said as he brought Snape down into the basement. The cold, dark eyes of Severus Snape gazed upon the room. He clutched his left forearm nervously. Peter Pettigrew caught this, wondering why Snape was in the very room he was. He wondered if the Dark Lord had sent Snape on a secret mission to infiltrate the minds of the other Order members.

"Dumbledore, you can't be serious," James Potter protested, rising from his seat in outrage. "You can't think someone like _him _could possibly be here to stop Voldemort, can you?"

"I must tell you, James, that I trust Severus," Dumbledore reasoned. "He has shown that he has the aptitude to assist us in gaining information on Voldemort and his Inner Circle."

"Albus," a voice from the back of the room addressed. Mad Eye Moody was eyeing Snape with his electrical blue eye, while his other normal eye was focused on Dumbledore. "You know as well as I do that Snape could quite possibly be put on trial at any time."

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Dumbledore informed his longtime friend. "Severus is a very powerful and talented wizard. He is a fully able Potions expert and is proficient in the art of Occlumency."

"What's Occlumency?" Peter whispered to Sirius.

"You're kidding me?" was the only response Sirius had for Peter. Peter just laughed a little, but really wanted to know. He thought of telling his master about Snape, but realized he would sound foolish if he didn't even know what Occlumency was. He would simply just have a word with Snape once everyone was out of earshot.

"I hope you all treat him as you would treat me; with respect," Dumbledore told everyone in the room. Reluctantly, they all nodded. "We are a team. If we don't work together, Voldemort will tear us to shreds, one piece at a time."

With those words, he dismissed the Order members. James and Lily stayed behind, clutching baby Harry to them protectively. Peter watched as Snape left the room, sneering at Sirius and James. Their school grudge was clearly not forgotten from either side. He walked quickly up the steps to reach Snape.

"Can I have a word?" Peter asked as he reached the door. "Outside?"

"I suppose so, Pettigrew," Snape answered coolly.

The two of them walked into the backyard, making sure there were no stragglers. They were alone.

"Did our Master put you up to this, Snape?" Peter asked bluntly. "Did he?"

"Do I even need to answer that question?" Severus responded. "Of course he did. Why else would I be standing in front of brutes such as Black and Potter? For the sake of our Master, I would do anything, even disgrace myself in the presence of noble fools like your so-called friends."

"Oh," Peter said quietly. "What is Occlumency?"

"It's my ability to hide the fact that I'm a spy for our Master from that Mudblood lover Dumbledore," Snape informed him. "It's a special gift."

Peter nodded. Before he could leave, Snape grabbed Peter's arm.

"Pettigrew, don't mention this to our Master," Snape ordered. "It was supposed to be kept within the Inner Circle only. If he knows I told you, who knows what he'd do to either one of us."

Peter shuddered. He was fully aware of the power the Dark Lord held. He nodded and muttered, "I won't," before he walked off to talk to Sirius and Remus.

Snape grasped his left arm once more uncomfortably. He knew betraying the dark side was worthy of death, but he knew he was actually doing the right thing for once. He only hoped that Pettigrew had believed him.

.X.

"Snape?" James asked again. "Snape? I can't believe you. How could you put the Order in such danger? How could you do this to us, Dumbledore?"

Lily clutched onto a sleeping Harry. She couldn't help but believe her former Headmaster, even if her husband did not. Yet, she wasn't fully trusting of Snape either.

"I assure you, James," Dumbledore reasoned. "I have not put the Order in danger. If anything, I have strengthened out resources. Now, there is a reason you're here to talk to me and there is a reason I have agreed. Normally, I wouldn't listen to one word you would have to say about the matter. Yet now, I feel the inclination to do so."

"Snape is a Death Eater," James insisted. "I know he is. I have known my entire life that he is no-good and would end up becoming a servant of Voldemort."

"He was indeed a Death Eater," Dumbledore said softly. "But he's turned to our side despite a great personal risk. He has come to me and shown his loyalty to putting an end to Voldemort."

"Nothing he could do would prove otherwise to me," James declared stubbornly.

"He told me that Voldemort is going to kill your child," Dumbledore told both James and Lily. His blue eyes were watering, the slightest hint of emotion within them. James nor Lily had ever seen their Headmaster cry. Never. They knew he was one hundred percent serious on the matter. "Harry is the chosen child."

"No!" Lily screamed, holding onto him. "Why?"

"It can't be," James whispered. "Neville was surely the obvious choice."

"Not necessarily," Dumbledore insisted, a tremor in his voice as he saw the reactions of his favorite pupils. "Harry has been brought into this world with love, talent, and people who care for him. Voldemort understands the fact that these virtues are equipped with the child. He despises love as he never felt nor received it. The two of you are deeply in love with life, each other, and your child. He feels that through Harry, he can not only defeat his biggest threat, but also the two of you."

Lily whimpered as she heard these words. She had somehow always known that Harry would be the one Voldemort chose. She knew that with James she had chosen the difficulyt road and sure enough, the difficult road was proving itself to be difficult. She wiped a tear from her eye as she tried to remain calm.

James was pacing the basement, cursing under his breath. He seemed angry.

"Horrible things always happen to the ones I love," James told his wife and Dumbledore. "Always. Nothing good ever comes out of caring for someone. Lily and I have gone through hell and back trying to keep our love alive. Our son should not have to go through with that."

"No," Dumbledore agreed. "He shouldn't."

"My parents, my wife, my son, my friends," James mumbled, his voice cracking. "Everyone gets hurt. I feel like an omen. Maybe if I just went away things would all get better."

"No," both Lily and Dumbledore shouted at the same time.

"That would solve nothing," Dumbledore assured James. "Absolutely nothing. You need to be here for your wife and child. They need you."

"What do we do?" he asked finally.

"For now, I will be adding further protection to this house," Dumbledore told them. "It won't be able to hold Voldemort off forever, but it should be able to hold him off until I find a better option."

James and Lily nodded.

"You are not to leave the house a lot," Dumbledore instructed. "No owls, no visitors, nothing. If you go anywhere, inform me and I will make sure there is protection. I realize this is very hard for both of you, but hopefully, someday, this will all be over."

"Someday," Lily whispered. "You can't always wish upon a someday."

.X.

So, for months they sat inside their house, devoting as much attention as possible to their son. They didn't go to work as leaving Harry with someone else seemed too risky. They didn't leave the house. They didn't send owls, they didn't visit with their friends. They simply spent time with one another and their son.

Harry was seven months old when they received their first interaction with someone. Dumbledore had appeared with Fawkes by his side magically in their living room. Lily and James were stunned to see him, but happy. They knew this meant he had an answer for it all.

"How are you all?" he asked them first, sitting down on the couch. He smiled down at baby Harry, who was now crawling.

"We're ok," James managed to say. "A bit lonely, but ok. At least we all have each other."

"The good news is, I have found a way to protect you from Voldemort," Dumbledore said. "The Fidelius Charm."

James looked bewildered, but Lily seemed to nod her head in agreement.

"That would work?" she asked the professor.

He nodded. He eyed James' confusion and explained. "The Fidelius Charm is basically a protection charm. A single secret held within a single person. For instance, your Secret Keeper is the only person who is able to come to your house. No one else. Voldemort could be lurking right outside your porch, but he wouldn't be able to get in without the direct address from your Secret Keeper. It's risky, but it's effective."

"So, this person, the Secret Keeper, should be someone you trust very much?" James asked.

"I feel the need to offer my services," Dumbledore told them. "The two of you have always held a place in my heart. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't extend my hand in your time of crisis."

Lily and James sat in silence for a moment before Lily spoke up and shook her head.

"Voldemort would know," Lily told him. "He knows we're close to you, as well as active members of the Order. We can't risk an attack on you. It'd be too much for the wizarding community if you were injured. We wouldn't feel right if something happened to you on our behalf."

"You've done enough for us already," James said. "We thank you for this. Yet, the person I trust most in the world for this, besides Lily, is Sirius Black."

Dumbledore nodded, although he knew that this was Lily and James' first mistake.

****

A/N: Please review. No flames please. I am keeping it canon.


	25. Tangled Web of Lies

**A/N: This story is not going to follow anything mentioned in HBP. I am going to stick with my original plot line. I am not sure how long I am intending this to be. I only think it'll have 2-3 more chapters left in it. We'll see. Sorry about the long wait. I've been traveling and the release of HBP. Let's just say that I may have had a bit of block as well. So, let's see my pitiful attempt at a chapter. Please review.**

Catch My Fall

**Chapter 25-Tangled Web of Lies**

The Fidelius Charm was not to be put into effect until Snape's ok. Dumbledore had spoken with Severus on the matter and according to him, Voldemort was remaining weary about attacking. Somehow, although Harry was only a child, the fact of the matter was that he was indeed a threat. Dumbledore seemed to trust this as he had grown to know a lot about the man who called himself Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore knew that what Voldemort feared the most was his own death.

The headmaster sat in his office, hands drawn to his forehead. Dumbledore knew that Lily and James were in grave danger and that Snape's word was all that was protecting them at the moment.

A knock came to his door. He knew who it was. Severus Snape was expected to arrive. Hogwarts was the safest place for them to meet, seeing as Death Eaters were undercover just about everywhere in the wizarding community.

"Severus," Dumbledore acknowledged. "I'm glad you could make it here. I suppose you know why you're here."

"Yes," Snape replied. He heaved a deep breath of clarity in, calming his almost always high-strung nerves and continued, knowing full well that Dumbledore needed to hear. "The Charm doesn't need to be placed yet. The Dark Lord hasn't even begun his plans for attacking. As you know, he always deals with blackmail, secrecy, and stealth. With the three of those at his convenience, it's hard to prevent an attack from him. Yet, having dealt with the entire Potter family, he is hesitant. He feels that he needs a bit more time."

"But it is Harry he's after?" Dumbledore asked again for confirmation.

"Yes," Snape answered. "The Potter boy is the one he's chosen."

"Thank you, Severus," the aged Headmaster said. He stood from his desk and led Snape towards the door. "If you hear any information, you know how to contact me."

With a quick nod, Snape left the Headmaster's office and descended down an escalating staircase. He exited, two gargoyles standing on either side of him. His greasy black hair and calculating dark eyes attributed the permanent sneer he gave off.

Thoughts raced throughout his mind. Although he was betraying his Master's trust, he knew that Potter needed some sort of warning. Snape loathed James Potter, more so than any other human being, but he regretfully felt that he owed him. Without James Potter, Snape would either be dead or bitten by a werewolf. He would never admit it aloud to anyone, but Snape knew that this favor to Potter was his way of settling their score.

.X.

Lily clutched her son to her as her husband went to get drinks for everyone. The Three Broomsticks was busy as usual, but the table she sat at was dark and unpleasant. James and Lily had requested permission from Dumbledore to have this outing with their friends. It was absolutely necessary in such a horrible time.

Harry fussed in Lily's arms, but she kissed his forehead to calm him down. His birthday was in two weeks and Lily wanted to have a party for him. Now, she wasn't sure if it was even possible.

"I swear, that Rosmerta doesn't understand the fact that I'm a married man," James joked as he set the five hot mugs of Butterbeer down on the table.

He ruffled his son's hair, which resembled his father's even more so as the days passed. He looked over at Lily and nodded.

"Listen," James began. He looked at his three best friends, staring straight into each of their eyes. The four of them had been through so much together that it was hard to imagine the news James was going to tell them. "After a couple of months of considering this, I have finally realized that not everyone is trustworthy." His voice seemed to crack. The thought that one of the Marauders was trying to do him in was almost as heartbreaking as Harry being the chosen child. If someone had told him that one-day one of his friends would turn their back on him, he would have laughed heartily in their face, knowing it was impossible. "Dumbledore suspects that one of you three have been spying for Voldemort."

All three of their eyes grew wide in shock.

_Someone's spying on Lily and James,_ Sirius thought to himself. He eyed Lupin and Peter suspiciously.

_I should have known_, Remus pondered.

_What if they know it's me_, Peter asked himself. He looked from Sirius, to Remus, to Lily, James, and Harry.

Almost at once, all hell broke loose.

"I should have known it was _you_, Moony," Sirius shouted, pointing a finger directly in his friend's face. His gray eyes were forcing their gaze into Remus' pale blue ones.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Remus quipped. Sirius only stared angrily. "Oh, just say it. You think it's me because I'm a werewolf. Really, people need to get some new material. Yet, if you want to point out prejudice, the finger can go both ways, Padfoot."

"You wouldn't," Sirius muttered.

"Spying for Voldemort is something a _Black_ would do," Remus pointed out. "How do we know it's not you, trying to serve your family proud? It would make the most sense."

"How could you even think I'd do that to Lily and James? Or Harry for that matter?" Sirius asked.

"How could you?" Remus retorted. "Like I said, Sirius, being a werewolf isn't something I was born with. Being a Black is in your blood, Sirius. It was only a matter of time before you started succumbing to the awful principles your family believes in."

Sirius rose from his seat and raised his fist, swinging back to hit Remus. He stopped as James stepped in-between them.

"Stop it," Lily cried from her own seat. "Stop it all now."

"We didn't want anyone pointing fingers at one another," James insisted. "We only told you this so you would all know why we won't be seeing you other than at Harry's party, which we're not even sure is going to happen. We wanted you all to understand why we won't be able to leave our house."

Sirius backed away from Remus, shaking his head. He leaned down and kissed Harry on the head before storming out and riding away on his motorcycle.

Remus only bid them a soft, "Goodbye," before leaving. Peter shrugged and walked out. Soon, James, Lily, and Harry were left, a piece of them leaving as each of their friend's departed.

.X.

"So, Lily, you're sure Dumbledore okayed this whole birthday debacle?" James asked his wife as he walked beside her in a Muggle grocery store.

"Positive," Lily replied, slowly making her way down the aisles with Harry in the cart.

"Remind me why we're in here again," James told her, sighing as he saw a man in golf pants passing them down the aisle.

"Dumbledore recommended shopping here opposed to in the wizarding community. I guess it's less likely for us to be noticed," Lily informed him. She stopped walking as she looked down at a large vanilla cake. She decided upon it and made her way towards the dairy aisle. Ice cream was always essential when serving cake, just as her mother had taught her before she had died.

James felt someone's eyes burning into him from behind. He was uneasy and clutched his wand from inside his pants pocket. He didn't release it, knowing all too well about the Statute of Secrecy within the Ministry. He turned slowly and eyed the man watching him. He was rather large with a thick, purple neck. A small blonde woman with a horse like face and a rather long neck was trying to calm what appeared to be a screaming blonde beach ball.

When Lily noticed her husband staring off at something, she followed his gaze and gasped.

"Petunia?" she whispered.

"Your sister?" James asked, now finally recognizing the horse-faced blonde. He had known Lily had a sister and had even briefly seen her at the wedding, but had forgotten how different the two of them looked from each other.

Her sister caught Lily's eyes and reluctantly walked over to her sister, examining Harry with her sharp blue eyes.

"Lily," Petunia addressed. She realized the awkwardness growing between the six of them. Harry had been innocently playing with a teething ring his mother had given him when the blonde beach ball reached over and snatched it away. "This is Vernon, my husband, and Dudley, our son."

James snickered as he heard the name 'Dudley'. What Muggles came up with nowadays..

Lily smiled at her nephew, but he just starting pulling at his mother's shirt. "Well, you've met James here. This is our son, Harry."

Petunia nodded, but wasn't nearly as warm as Lily had been to Dudley.

"How old is Dudley?" Lily asked out of curiosity.

"He just turned a year old," Vernon answered in a gruff voice.

"Harry's going to be one in two days," Lily informed them. "You're welcome to attend the party if you'd like."

"Oh yeah, sure," Petunia said in what Lily noticed was not an entirely convincing tone. Yet, she couldn't really blame her sister. The last event she had attended that Lily had invited her to had been attacked.

"Well, it was lovely seeing you all," Lily told them.

"Nice meeting you, Vernon and Dudley," James said, extending his hand. Vernon just eyed it carefully. "A pleasure to see you again, Petunia."

The three Dursleys rushed off quickly out the store. Lily sighed and brushed a strand of red hair out of her eyes.

"What's wrong, love?" James inquired, rubbing her back as they walked down the aisles.

"I just forget sometimes that I have family other than you and Harry," she said quietly. "It's horrible to think about. Petunia and I are sisters and we barely speak to one another. Its just heartbreaking, is all. I'm sure if you had a sister you'd keep in contact with her."

"Lily, Petunia doesn't understand us or our world. Did you see the way she looked at Harry, as if he was going to contaminate her overly spoiled son?"

"Harry is a lot better off than Dudley is, isn't he?" Lily asked, smiling a bit.

"Of course he is," James assured her. The three gathered the rest of the things on their shopping list and walked out of the store, knowing that the only people they needed were with them at that moment.

.X.

Peter knocked on the door to Sirius' flat and waited until his friend answered. Sirius opened the door and let Peter in.

"What are you up to, Wormtail?" Sirius asked, sitting down lazily on his own couch.

"I was just thinking about what Lily and James told us in the Three Broomsticks," Peter confessed. "Well, I thought I should talk to you about it."

"You don't think it's me, do you?" Sirius asked, making sure.

"No," Peter insisted. "I'm here to talk to you about Remus."

Sirius nodded. "I don't trust him."

"Nor do I," Peter agreed. "That's why I think we should keep our eye on him. I mean, he's a werewolf. He's always been the most laid back. Maybe it's all a cover? No one ever really found out how Katy was killed. Don't you think that it's more than possible that Remus was upset that she worked too much?"

"You really think he'd do something like that?" Sirius asked, sitting up. Peter had his attention now.

"I'm fairly positive of it," Peter told his friend. "You-Know-Who most likely promised him more rights, seeing as he's a werewolf."

"I think you're right," Sirius said. "The thing is, Harry's birthday party is tomorrow. What if he does something?"

"He won't," Peter insisted. "There'll be too many witnesses around."

"Well, let's keep our eye on him anyways for good measure," Sirius said.

.X.

"Don't you see, Remus? Sirius has been mentally unstable since Halle passed away. There's nothing he wouldn't do at this point. His wife and daughter are both gone. He has no other family in the world. Maybe he's doing this to try and get his good name back in the Black family," Peter told Remus later that night.

Remus contemplated this thought. "So you think Sirius is the spy?"

"It would make the most sense," Peter explained. "Plus, neither one of us is the spy, so that leaves him."

"I guess you're right," Remus agreed. "He has been a little unbalanced since Halle died. I just can't believe he'd do something like this. He's always been all about loyalty."

"People change as time goes on," Peter reminded him. "Sirius isn't an exception."

"What are we going to do? Do you think he'll pull something at Harry's birthday party tomorrow?"

"I don't think so," Peter assured Remus. "There'll be too many witnesses. Better keep your eye on him anyways."

"Trust me, I will," Remus insisted, his blue eyes growing older as the seconds passed. It was hard to believe; the Marauders were splitting up.

.X.

"Is he asleep?" James whispered as he entered the yellow nursery to see his wife leaned over Harry's crib. Lily nodded. She slowly walked out with James in front of her and closed the door, turning the handle as quietly as she could.

The two of them walked into their bedroom where they plopped down on their bed without even changing clothes.

"Can you believe all of this, James?" Lily asked her husband. "One of our friends wants Harry killed."

James sat there for a moment in silence. "No, I can't. I just refuse to think it. I know it's true, but I think it'd kill me to know the truth."

"Let's just hope Severus Snape is as honest as Dumbledore believes him to be," Lily murmured quietly.

James didn't like that thought. He hated the fact that his son's life was dependent upon Snape's word.

"Who do you think it is?" Lily inquired softly. "Which Marauder?"

James couldn't answer it. He just couldn't. He refused to believe any one of his friends would betray his trust. It seemed impossible to him; even now.

**A/N: Please don't leave me reviews commenting on anything in HBP. I've read it, so I do know that this story contradicts the plot. I do know that most of you are mad/sad/angry. Just please, try to review on the chapter, not the sixth HP book. Thanks! Please review.**


	26. Snape’s Information

__

Catch My Fall does not follow HBP canon. It is pre-HBP

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A/N: Ok, so this is my first post since being back home. It is now past 2 AM, so things may not turn out all that well. If there is some spelling errors or an error in general, please forgive me. It is late. I do realize though that I want to finish this story soon. This is NOT the last chapter. Tell me how you like it and please review!

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 26-Snape's Information

Harry James Potter was rewarded for turning one year of age with a birthday party. Lily and James knew that things in the future could prevent them from having get-togethers with their friends, but this one time, Harry's first birthday, was going to be their one and only exception.

They wanted to spend one last moment with everyone before disappearing into hiding. They knew that this was their last chance to interact with their friends. They wanted Harry to have a good birthday; something good to keep them smiling during the dark times that they now faced.

"Happy Birthday, baby," Lily said, kissing her baby's cheek and scooping him up from the floor. Guests had started to arrive and she did her best to make Harry look presentable. She tried flattening his hair, but found it completely useless, and wiped drool from his mouth.

He smiled up and his mother and said, "Mummy."

A small leap set sail inside of her. She had heard him say it before, but it was always so empowering. When he said her name like that, she felt as if she was on top of the world. She felt as if she could do nearly anything because her son believed in her.

"Do you want to go see your guests?" she asked him, holding onto one of his hands.

"Daddy," Harry said, smiling at the sight of his father. Lily turned to see her husband making a funny face at him.

"Pad," the small toddler exclaimed, laughing his little head when he saw his godfather enter the room.

"Now, Lily, did you or James teach him to laugh hysterically at my sight?" Sirius asked, taking Harry from Lily and lifting him upon his shoulders.

"That would be me," James confessed grinning. "Can you believe it? It's been a whole year and I haven't managed to set him on fire and/or drop him on his head."

Lily rolled her eyes and welcomed more guests in.

"Remus, Peter," she greeted hugging them both. "Glad you both could come."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Remus insisted. His eyes narrowed as he saw Sirius holding Harry. "Lily, can I talk to you?"

"Sure," Lily replied. "Peter, help yourself to whatever you need. There are drinks out on the table."

"Thanks, Lil," Peter said, walking over to see James, Sirius, and Harry.

Remus and Lily stepped outside, onto the porch.

"Where is Remus taking Lily?" Sirius asked suspiciously.

"Oh, he needed to talk to her about something," Peter informed them. "I bet it's about the present he got Harry."

"I bet," Sirius added, although he sounded skeptical.

Once outside, Remus sighed a bit.

"This can't be good," Lily mused. "What's going on, Remus?"

"I think you should be more careful with Harry," he told her. "I just don't like seeing him with Sirius like that. I don't know if you can trust him."

"Nonsense," Lily brushed off. "Sirius is Harry's godfather."

"He is?" Remus inquired.

"Yes," Lily said. "I feel Sirius is entirely capable of handling, Harry. Now please, do try and hold your tongue while you're here. This is Harry's first birthday party. I don't want any fights between you or Sirius. This is most likely the last time we'll all see one another and I don't want anything to ruin it."

"Ok, Lily," Remus assured her solemnly. "I won't try to cause trouble.

"That is all I ask," she insisted. "Thank you."

The two of them walked back into the house, more guests fawning over Harry. He didn't seem to mind the attention.

"More like his father than we know," Lily concluded, smiling.

James leaned in and kissed her swiftly. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

"I guess not," she concluded. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and watched on as Harry tried to stand up.

"I wish things could just go back to the way they were," James mumbled quietly. "I wish there was no such thing as a prophecy."

"You and me both," Lily whispered. She caught a glimpse of her own reflection and for the first time in over a year, her green eyes looked alive. Lately they had been hard and wise. For once, it seemed and appeared that things were alright.

.X.

It had been one of the hardest experiences of his life, but James had managed to say goodbye to his fellow three Marauders for good. He could no longer see nor speak to them. Dumbledore had added extra protection to the house, but they all knew it wouldn't keep Voldemort out for good. Only the Fidelius Charm would sufficiently protect James and his loved ones from the monster named Voldemort.

For two and a half long months, James and Lily remained inside the Potter Manor. They no longer went to work. Their lives were consumed by their love of Harry. They had spent as much time devoted to him as possible. He was learning new words, sentences, and he had finally taken his first few steps.

"Look at him," James had exclaimed when his son had walked from the coffee table to Lily. "Look at my son! He is a bloody genius. A genius, I tell you. He can walk!"

Lily laughed as he husband scooped up their son and started tossing him into the air exuberantly.

"Sort of reminds me of a drunk sailor, but he can walk nonetheless," James said. "He can walk. We did it, Lily."

With that, he set his son down and kissed his wife right on the lips.

"What can I say?" she asked. "We're a good team."

"That we are," he agreed.

When Harry was sleeping, however, Lily was researching. For some reason, she was growing more and more weary as the days passed. Her eyes were dark and alert. Her only answer for this sudden transformation was that she was having bad dreams.

James hadn't been able to see the titles of the books she was reading, but one day she had left a note out on the table. She was ordering books from Flourish and Blotts by owl.

He saw the title read, _Ancient Magic._

He could only wonder what she was researching that pertained to the ancient branches of magic. She didn't seem to want to explain, so he simply let her carry on without any interruptions.

Although James loved his wife and son, there was no denying how much he missed Sirius. He missed all the Marauders, but there had never been a time when Sirius could fail to cheer him up. He missed his best friend.

Yet, he had started a family. If Dumbledore assumed that one of their friends was a spy, James could only agree with him. Yet, he knew Sirius and he knew that his best friend would never betray them. He was the most loyal person he knew other than Lily.

James could only imagine how Lily felt. She had lost her only two best friends in the entire world within the past couple of years. James had only been separated from his friends; they hadn't actually died. He knew she was suffering just as much as he was.

Each morning, as the sunlight streamed in through the windows, James reminded himself of why exactly he was trapped indoors. He loved his family far too much to risk losing them. This kept him going each and every morning.

.X.

On the 22nd of October, Severus Snape met with Albus Dumbledore in the Hog's Head. Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother, had arranged for the two of them to meet privately in the back, therefore allowing them to speak freely without interference.

Snape entered the bar and his dark eyes scanned over the proximity. He walked to the back where a door led him into a hall. He knew that Aberforth was soundproofing and locking the door behind him. Snape entered a room to see the headmaster of Hogwarts enjoying a hot mug of Butterbeer.

"Severus," Dumbledore greeted cheerfully. His upbeat tone did not disguise the worry imprinted upon his face. He seemed older, much older, than he had in a long time. "I assume there is news."

"Indeed," Snape answered simply.

"Well, proceed then," the headmaster encouraged.

"The Dark Lord is planning to attack the Potters soon," Snape informed Dumbledore.

There was silence for a moment and then Dumbledore spoke, "How soon?"

"He isn't quite sure yet," Snape reported. "Soon. I suggest placing the Fidelius Charm on as soon as possible."

"I'll speak to Lily and James in the morning," Dumbledore assured Snape. "Severus, I cannot thank you more. I am sure the Potters will be in your deepest gratitude. You're doing a very noble thing."

Snape took those words into account. No one had ever said he was noble. No one. He pondered whether it was actually true. Although he was dedicated to the Dark Lord, he seemed to forget this when Albus Dumbledore praised him with such a profound compliment.

.X.

The next morning, October 23rd, 1981, Dumbledore knocked on Lily and James' door. Lily, after performing several charms, opened the door and smiled wearily at her old headmaster.

"Professor Dumbledore," she greeted. "How nice to see you."

She did, indeed, look very pleased to see him. She hadn't seen anyone from the outside world in months.

James came into the room, holding baby Harry, and smiled.

"Professor," James acknowledged, sitting down on the couch.

"Can we get you anything?" Lily offered. "Water, butterbeer, pumpkin juice?"

"No thank you," Dumbledore declined. "I have some urgent news."

Lily walked back to the couch and held onto her husband's hand. She glanced over at her son, whose emerald green eyes were on the verge of closing.

"A very reliable source has informed me that Voldemort is planning on attacking you as soon as possible," Dumbledore told them, his voice shaking.

The two Potters were stunned. They knew it was coming. They had known for quite some time. Yet, the feeling, the horrible feeling of the truth sinking in, was finally hitting them. Lily instinctively squeezed James' hand.

"What are we going to do?" James asked, looking down at his son.

"Well, I spoke to you of the Fidelius Charm months earlier," Dumbledore reminded them. His blue eyes were staring hard at Harry now, a small sad smile on his face. He couldn't bare to give Lily and James the news. He loved them, as if they were his own children. He felt that they had come far past the student-teacher relationship. He knew that they trusted him sincerely, as he did them. "I recommend we set it upon your home immediately. I remind you that my offer of being your Secret Keep still stands."

Lily and James looked at once another and shook their heads. "We can't do that to you, professor," Lily spoke for the both of them. "The world needs you right now. Without you, who knows what would happen to the community? Their need is far greater than ours and we can't risk you risking your life on us like that."

"Sirius is our choice," James told Dumbledore. "We trust him with both our lives, as well as Harry's. He is my best friend in the entire world. I can think of no better person."

"Very well," Dumbledore added. "I must tell you I feel that this is a mistake."

"How so?" James inquired.

"Sirius is obviously close with you and Lily, has been for years. I am sure that Voldemort will put him first on his list of possible Secret Keepers," Dumbledore told them sadly. "I know Sirius can fend for his own, but Voldemort has been known to play dirty."

James had never thought about it like that. Yet, his choice for Sirius still stood. He knew his friend would rather die than betray him. He knew this because he felt the same way.

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A/N: I think that next chapter will be the last. I hope you liked that one. Please review.


	27. The End of a Beautiful Thing

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A/N: Well, this is it. The last & final chapter of the Lily and James: Their Story of Love/Catch My Fall extravaganza. Someday I am going to go back and completely edit, fine tune, and fix up to the best of my ability L/J: Their Story of Love. I can't even read it, it's so horrible. After that, it's onto Potter's Charm. I'm not even touching Beyond The Veil as it disgusts me so much. When I've completely redone L/J: Their Story of Love, I'll be sure to post it in my live journal, as well as my profile on this site. Look forward to that. I've enjoyed all your reviews immensely! It's sad to be finally completing this after about a year and a half (I'm including the prequel in this time count). I hope you all enjoyed it. Please don't flame me for the inevitable. That would be immature & not appreciated at all. I do hope I write this chapter as well as I wish to (although I most likely won't.) Please review & be sure to check out some of my other stories! Thanks!

Catch My Fall

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Chapter 27-The End of a Beautiful Thing

After Dumbledore's departure, James and Lily sat in silence, their thoughts far too important to ignore. They would need a Secret Keeper as soon as possible, but sadly, Sirius was starting to sound less and less appealing. As if their thoughts aligned, James and Lily looked at one another, sighs escaping from their lips.

"I don't know if this is a good idea," James informed his wife sadly. "I trust Dumbledore's judgment and I trust my own, but something he said today isn't settling right."

Lily nodded. "I know what you mean. I trust Sirius. I really do. If I had to trust my life with one person in the world besides you, it would be him. He is Harry's godfather for a reason. Yet, I think our attachment to him may not be particularly good in a situation like this."

"I know he would die for us," James assured her. "I know he would do anything to protect us and our child. I just don't know if I want him to die in the process. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if something happened to him because of us."

"I agree," Lily said. "But I don't see any other choice."

That was exactly what James had been afraid of.

.X.

Professor Dumbledore's office hadn't changed much since the Potter's had last been inside of it. It was still as interesting and detailed as before. Lily and James sat in two armchairs, baby Harry in James' arms.

The four of them (counting Harry) sat in his office for a specific reason. Lily and James had expressed their doubts and concerns with the headmaster earlier on. Lily reached over and squeezed her husband's hand. To James' surprise, she was trembling. He sent a reassuring smile her way, although knowing it wasn't as sincere as he'd hoped. He too was worried for the safety of his friend.

Along with Harry, something else sat in James' lap. A silver parcel was folded neatly and he was hardly able to allow himself to do what he needed to do.

"Professor," he said slowly. "I have something I wish to give you."

He handed Dumbledore the parcel with his other free hand and watched as the professor set his eyes upon it.

"It's my Invisibility Cloak," he explained. "A family heirloom. I want you to keep it safe for me."

"I'd be honored to, James," Dumbledore said. The old man smiled and tucked the cloak away in a cabinet that seemed to contain a large, silver basin. James demised that this was a pensieve.

A knock came to the door before Sirius entered. His hair was windblown and his gray eyes lacked the usual spark they held. Instead of energetic and fun, Sirius seemed much older. Something about him seemed entirely too grim.

He lightened up a bit as he saw Lily, James, and Harry. Apparently, the lack of their presence in his life had been torturous.

"Sirius," Professor Dumbledore acknowledged, leading him to a seat before sitting down behind his own desk. He cleared his throat and began, "Upon recent news, I have learned of Voldemort's quest to kill young Harry." His voice quavered a bit, the steadiness in his tone absent. "The safest and most intricate way of securing their lives would be the Fidelius Charm."

Sirius' lips traced over the words, although Dumbledore, James, and Lily knew that they meant nothing to him. It was a rare and ancient magic that was often forgotten.

"The Fidelius Charm is a protection charm that enables one person to withhold a secret inside of them. In this case, Lily and James' home. The Secret Keeper is the only person who is able to approach the house normally. Everyone else must hear or read the location directly from the Secret Keeper to enter the location. Lily and James have mutually decided on you, Sirius. That is, if you're willing."

He seemed very overwhelmed. His answer came out sure and steady, "Of course."

"Need I remind you that if Voldemort was to hear of this charm, he would immediately hunt you down as you're the closest to the Potters?" Dumbledore asked, clarifying the danger in accepting the job.

"I would die for them," Sirius assured his previous headmaster. James held onto Harry a bit tighter and Lily wiped a tear from her eye.

"As we would for you, Padfoot," James reminded his friend, smiling and feeling a tear of his own escape from his hazel eye.

.X.

Lily, James, Sirius, and a sleeping Harry flooed back to Godric's Hollow and landed in the Potters living room.

Before they had left, Dumbledore had specifically asked Lily and James to restrain from using magic unless defending themselves. He advised them to keep their wands on them at all times, but to never use it unless absolutely necessary. The idea of living as Muggles was frightening to both of them, but they agreed. Their son's safety always came first.

Lily went into the kitchen to make some tea, James went to put Harry to bed, and Sirius sat on the couch, his head in his hands.

When Lily and James returned, they found him crying. They hadn't seen Sirius cry since Halle's death and sat down sadly before him.

"I just can't stand it," he said slowly, choking a bit. "Everyone I love seems to die. Everyone. Why is that? Everyone dies. Everyone. I would give my life just to bring them all back, but it's no use."

"We're not dead, Sirius," Lily reminded him, reaching over to grab his hand. He looked up at her and James.

"We love and trust you," James assured him. "But we can't let you take on anymore suffering."

Lily caught his eye and nodded. They needed to cast the charm that night, but they had to alter the plans a bit.

"We can't let you be our Secret Keeper, Sirius," James told him, his head lowered. "It's not fair to you."

"Why isn't it fair?" he demanded. "If it means I get to prevent the three of you from being killed, then so be it. That sounds more than fair to me."

"It isn't," Lily snapped at him. "It is not. We don't want you to die. We need to change Secret Keepers. As much as we would hate to put Remus' life on the line, we've decided upon asking him instead."

"No," Sirius barked at them. His eyes were alive and alert. "You can't. You just can't. I won't allow you to use Remus."

__

He would hand the three of you straight over to Voldemort on a silver platter, Sirius thought to himself. _I can't allow it._

After a couple of moments of silent and intense thinking, Sirius felt an idea pop into his head.

"Use Wormtail," Sirius insisted. Lily and James shot glances over at one another. Lately, the two of them hadn't been particularly close with Peter. He was their friend and all, but they had pretty much assumed he wouldn't be up for the job. "Voldemort wouldn't expect it. Peter is weak and need I say it, pretty selfish. Yet, James, you've always been the one he looked up to. If it were for you, I know he'd do it. He would be one of the least likely people you'd pick."

"What about you?" Lily asked desperately. "What if he kills you? What if Voldemort thinks you're the one we've chosen?"

"Trust me," Sirius insisted. "I'll go into hiding. Voldemort doesn't know about my Animagus form. I can simply live off the streets a bit. We'll put Peter into hiding, just for good measure. We can't let a soul know about this though."

Lily and James nodded. Sirius seemed to have thought this through in the moments time he'd had. It sounded full proof to them.

"I want what's best for you both," he told them, standing to leave. "I'll send Wormtail over immediately."

With that, he flooed from their fireplace and to Peter's house, leaving Lily and James to anticipate his arrival.

.X.

The charm had been placed and Lily, James, and Harry were left alone once more. It felt as if they'd never be able to reach the outside world again. The three of them often sat together before the fire, Harry exploring the house while Lily and James simply gazed into the fire.

Yet, James was often alone in his thought. Lily was often found studying that book he had seen earlier. _Ancient Magic_ seemed to be occupying most of her time. He couldn't really understand why she was doing it, but thought it best not to ask.

At times, his thoughts focused solely on death. He had always been so happy to be alive. He sickened at the fact that Voldemort was making him think about death at such a young age. He was constantly worried that Voldemort would find him and his family and that they would lose the battle. He kept his wand with him at all times. He had advised Lily to do the same.

One evening, when he was feeling particularly low and his thoughts had drifted onto a worst-case scenario, he confronted his wife. She had just come from laying Harry down to sleep.

"Lily," he had said. "If Voldemort ever does find us, I want you to take Harry and go."

"What?" she asked, clearly alarmed and shocked. "You know I couldn't do a thing like that. I could never just leave you behind to die. What kind of wife would I be?"

"Lils," he sighed. "How do you think I'd feel knowing that I led you and Harry to your deaths? I need you to promise me that whatever may or may not happen in the future, you'll put Harry and yourself before me."

Reluctantly, Lily had agreed. Although she didn't seem to bring it up again, James noticed that she had started reading _Ancient Magic _a bit more vigorously since their conversation.

Peter hadn't been over the entire week, but he had agreed to being their Secret Keeper. James hoped that soon someone out there would be able to defeat Voldemort, even if it wasn't him or his wife. He longed for the man that had made the last years of his life a living hell to die.

The evening of October 31st, Lily had pried her eyes away from her book and was sitting by her husband, his hand locked with hers, their baby lying across the two of them. They smiled down at him. Even if they hadn't been able to conquer Voldemort, he had not been able to stop them from starting a family.

"Do you ever think about having more kids?" James asked, looking over at his wife.

"Yes," she answered softly. "I do. I love Harry so much and I sometimes wonder that if there was more people like him in the world, life would be much less complicated and much more happy."

The two of them stared admirably down at their son while his eyes drooped low, hinting that he was ready to fall asleep. Lily gently touched her son's hair, cradling a soft curl in her palm. She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.

"Well, even if we can't live a normal life, at least we have each other," James said, seemingly saying exactly what Lily had been thinking.

.X.

Sirius had been living off the streets of Hogsmeade as a stray dog. He tried to keep a close eye on the headlines, checking newspapers as often as possible. On Halloween night, a week since Peter had been made Secret Keeper, Sirius decided to check in on his dear friend, Wormtail.

Sirius had advised Peter to hide in a small, barely recognizable loft that was relatively close to Godric's Hollow. The loft was located in a Muggle neighborhood and had been abandoned years ago.

Sirius stood outside of it, having retrieved his motorcycle earlier that day. He had flown it over to Peter's. He figured he may as well check up on Peter and make sure that nothing horrible had happened to him.

When Peter failed to answer the knock after ten minutes, Sirius grew impatient and blew open the door. All he found was an empty room and a blanket of guilt laying itself down in his stomach.

Remus hadn't been the spy after all.

.X.

The silence in the living room of the Potters home was soon disturbed by the sound of crackling leaves outside. James rushed to the window and saw a cloaked figure unlocking their gate. He had a piece of parchment in his hand that James imagined to be their address.

__

Damn Wormtail, James cursed inside his head before he turned to Lily and panicked. He gripped his wand tightly in his hand and said, "Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off---"

He was interrupted by the sound of the door being burst open followed by a cackle of high pitched laughter.

Lily seized her baby, clutching him close to her, and ran up the stairs as fast as she could. She reached the baby's room and locked the door behind her. She set him gently in his crib and began to pray. She could feel her heart beating loudly, thumping against her chest quickly.

She nearly screamed as heard a loud scream, knowing her husband was dead. She let tears stream freely from her eyes and knew what she had to do. She was ready when she heard the door unlock from the outside. She was ready for him. She was ready to die.

****

A/N: Well, how'd I do? Sound pretty canon to you all? I'm sorry if it was upsetting, but that was what I had to do. Tell me what you thought of this chapter, this story overall, and the prequel. I'd love to hear whatever you have to say. Thanks & please review!


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